Hoping for Determination
by BadDRUMMERboy15
Summary: New beginnings are easy to find, we just don't always see them. First time I found one it was life changing. I was ready to just give up. I didn't know, but I had called for help... and everyone came. Maybe it was for the best. If this is my new start, I'll make sure to make it last. (Cover Art made by Underfan) (Read the inside for more)
1. Chapter 1

**Hoping for Determination**

 **Greetings.**

 **If you were ambitious enough to click on this story, congrats, you're in for a wild ride.**

 **This story was something I wrote originally as a form of a vent, but then as time went on, it evolved into something more that I could call my own. I revised some earlier chapters, but not all of them. Some of the earlier chapters are quite bad, but I hope you muster up the courage to continue to the end.**

 **Anyhow, I would like to thank anyone who reads this, and I encourage you to take things from this, and realize what** _ **not**_ **to do with writing, and what to do with writing. OCs are a bit difficult, and I found it out the hard way!**

 **Here you go! Enjoy!**

 **Chapter 1 (Revised): Abandoned Hopes and Dreams**

Blinding light met the child's eyes as they tried to shield them in vain. Glancing out from their shielded position, they saw the faint outline of white souls flying in a single direction. They still shone brighter than the intense glare of what they were fighting against.

A wretched cackle sounded through the air as the child had to shut their eyes completely to stop the torturing flow of light. Gritting their teeth, they felt as reality seemed to be torn at its seams. They knew what was happening. Something was defying all logic in place, and they had experienced the feeling so many times before.

Someone was coming back to life.

Just as quickly as it had begun, the light vanished without a trace. It took the child's eyes a moment to adjust to the darkness, but they could see someone across from them, clear as day. The boss monster before them clenched his fists, feeling his hands once more. Cracking his neck, the monster gave a deceiving grin. "Finally…" His voice echoed throughout the seemingly pitch black area they stood in. "I was so tired of being a flower…"

The child grit their teeth, remembering those same lines. _It always was this way._ They did not show their weakness, their face remaining perfectly neutral.

The boss monster turned around slowly, that same eerie grin plastered on his face. There was a hint of sincerity in there, but malice lined it all. "Howdy… Chara… are you there?" The child felt a presence nod from within them. "It's me… your best friend…"

In a blast of bright light, the young boss monster no longer stood. Instead, floating a few feet into the air, was an abomination. "ASRIEL DREEMURR!"

The human child, otherwise known as Frisk would have been surprised at this sudden change of form. It would have been much of a surprise to see a god-like being standing before them, or hearing the fact that the son of the king and queen was somehow _alive._

Frisk let out a sigh, watching as Asriel spread out his arms. Rainbow lights resonated off of the barrier walls, disorienting the child slightly. This part always seemed to get them. Truth was, this was not the first time they were here. They had been in this situation so many times.

Raising one hand into the air, Asriel sent a flurry of fire raining down upon the human. Effortlessly, they sidestepped, rolled, and twirled around the hazardous flames. They came out unscathed, preparing for the next attack.

As much as Asriel taunted, berated, and mocked them, he was unable to land a single hit. Stars sped across the barrier room, Strikes of electricity blasted into the floor. Bullets zoomed around Frisk. Rainbow blasts shot off in all directions… Yet, nothing was hitting Frisk.

Snarling, Asriel backflipped in the air, the white pupils in his eyes glowing. "ENOUGH MESSING AROUND!" Black, void-like mist appeared in his hands. "It's time to purge this timeline once and for all!" A white goat skull materialized before the human, menacingly opening it maw.

With a shrug, Asriel seemed to disappear into the light. Frisk's face remained neutral, unfazed by the fact that a timeline was literally being torn at it seams. Eh, maybe they were just used to it. Fragments of reality itself began being sucked into the maw of the skeletal creature, attempting to sweep Frisk in. It was always the same…

They came out of it unscathed, Asriel looking completely livid. He tried to hold back his sheer anger, but it did not make a difference. "Even after that attack, you're still standing in my way? Wow! You really are something special... " An idea popped into his head. "But don't get cocky." _That's exactly what Frisk was doing._ "I've only been using a fraction of my real power! Let's see what good your determination is against this!"

Once more, everything seemed to go dark. The silhouette of Asriel began shifting in the darkness. Rainbow wings flared out from his back as his legs merged. His horns grew even farther, and his body took the shape of a delta rune.

Despite how many times Frisk had done this, Asriel's final form always was intimidating. "Ura ha ha! Behold! My true power!" As Asriel spread his arms out, Frisk realized they could not move. _Curse my forgetfulness!_ They thought to themself as comets fired out from all sides. They forced their soul to detach from their chest, the manifestation of their being dodging the comets with ease.

20/20 HP

 _How are they not getting hit?_ Asriel thought to himself, his magic boiling within him. He tried over and over again, watching as their soul danced through his attacks as if they had been… _predicting_ them. No, that'd be crazy. If they knew that he would take over his determination, then why would they reset again if they beat him?

It wasn't like they could do anything but dodge-

As if the magic bounds on Frisk had suddenly vanished, the human was able to move again without having to detach their soul. Furthermore, a button floated to the left of them, their hand hovering over it. Asriel did not have time to wonder what it did before Frisk's hand spmashed down on the button. He felt as one by one, souls began falling out of his control.

 _Then, they called his name._

"Asriel!" They yelled out, reaching their hand out to him. Frisk had tried so many times to save this one monster. No matter how many times they tried, no matter how much they reset, there was never a way.

They kept calling his name, refusing to listen to anything he said. Why was he suddenly feeling this way? What had they done to him? Finally, he began breaking down. "I'm not ready for this to end… I'm not ready for you to leave… I'm not ready to say goodbye to someone like you again…"

Truthfully, Frisk did not want to let go either. They had promised that this would be the final time they tried to save him. Yet, they still couldn't let go. They refused to let him suffer.

It was nearly time for the final attack. This one felt like the weight of the world was crashing upon them. It showed just how much Asriel wanted them to stay, but also how much Frisk was determined not to give up.

As Asriel spread his arms out wide, crying, Frisk braced themself for the final attack. "SO PLEASE… STOP DOING THIS!" _Never._ "AND JUST LET ME WIN!" A waterfall of colors smashed down upon Frisk, the human holding onto life with all of their might.

0.1/20 HP

"STOP IT!"

Frisk held onto the SAVE option, the letters intensifying the more they were battered with the unrelenting assault.

0.001/20 HP

"STOP IT NOW!"

0.000001/20 HP

Sometimes, Frisk wondered if that was what they should do. Maybe if they let Asriel control the timeline, everything would turn out fine… But, they always had a sense of wanting that control. Now, they couldn't have it after the barrier was broken… They had promised…

0.0000000000001/20 HP

As if a huge weight was lifted off of their shoulders, they felt the attack cease. Gasping for breath, they tried to regain proper footing as Asriel's form began deteriorating. No longer a powerful god, Asriel clutched at his head, tears falling freely between his fingers.

* * *

If there was one thing about trying to hide your identity, it is not very wise to make yourself obvious. Luckily, I had learned that there would be no one looking for me in the first place. There was no reason to pull a hood over my head to conceal my identity. You'd think that your parents, friends, or just anyone would be at least _searching_ for me.

That was where the problem fell.

Why no one was searching for me? I could not comprehend it myself. Just walking in the streets alone before, people would always at least ask me what I was doing out there alone. However, today was different. I wasn't trying to steal, or just try to act like I was older than I actually was to get a job of any sort…

I am sure you can make the connection.

I was climbing Mt. Ebott, the mountain where no one returns. My reasons for doing so must have been the same as the other children who apparently disappeared. I mean, this place wasn't dangerous in the slightest. Walking alone a path, there were little to no dangers. A path, while not well defined, was completely bare of most obstacles. It almost seemed like someone had been here before me…

Of course someone had. A child had just gone missing recently, and must have been the reason that most rocks and branches had been kicked out of the way.

Then again, these are just observations I remember now. My memory isn't exactly that advanced to remember all of what happened that fateful day, but I definitely can observe more from memory than the current state I was in on that day…

The next person coming behind me for whatever reason would not be very comfortable with the fact that I was leaving a trail of blood behind me. No, I wasn't wounded seriously or anything. It is just the fact that when you have a flame sprouting out of your eye, it hurts uncontrollably.

Yes, a flame coming out of my eye.

This only happened when strong emotions existed, This horrific secret that I had tried keeping from the world for so long _always_ came back to spite me. I was one of the only ones with it. Any others with my condition were either unknown, or did not exist.

The power I was stuck with would seem like a blessing. With countless ways to exploit the power, you could be a helpful contributor to society, or you could be a power worth reckoning with. People… didn't really _enjoy_ difference. I mean, why should they have accepted this _thing_ that was wrong with me so… openly?

I winced as my hand moved over my eye, trying to stop the blood flow. No such occurrence graced me, and the breadcrumbs for someone finding me would continue. _That is… if no one was too much of a coward to come up this peaceful mountain._

As I kept walking through the forest-like area upon Mt. Ebott, the tree line began thinning. Grass started becoming scarce, being replaced by solid rock. It seemed as if the cliff face that you could see far off from our city was growing near. That was my ultimate destination, and I held back tears, knowing all too well just what I would be doing soon.

The reason for my actions was quite simple. _Magic._ Without explanation, without a scientific, factual based conclusion, I could create and destroy things at will. Granted, as far as I knew, the only thing that had come out of me was fire.

Everyone… was fearful. With something this powerful, I was effectively a rogue _weapon._ I held no control over this power, as there was no one to teach me in the first place. There was no one to teach you how to harness a burning power within you. _And, I could not take it._

I was a pain to myself. I was a pain to the rest of the world. I was dangerous. _I had failed everyone I loved when they needed it most._

When the tapping of my shoes on rock came to a stop, I gazed off at the sunset in the distance. This would be the last time I would see something like this… My black jacket swayed in the breeze as if the winds were saying goodbye to me one last time.

I clutched a faded and torn piece of paper to my chest, holding it right next to my soul. "Chara… I'm coming."

When suddenly, an earsplitting crack rang out from behind me.

* * *

Twenty minutes after the barrier had been destroyed, Frisk had finally made their way through the entire Underground once more. They had made it a habit of theirs to walk through the whole thing, talking to everyone in the process. If they didn't, with their knowledge of the landscape, it should have only taken ten minutes without the extra stops and with the help of Riverperson.

Hm, maybe it was just their tendency to stay away from the impending line Asriel always said. It was always futile when Frisk tried to reason with him. Maybe just this once… something had changed. After all, the past runs Asriel _should_ have remembered… Maybe there would be something…

Yet, no matter how much they talked to him, they were met with the same sentence in the end. "Frisk… don't you have anything better to do?"

They stood completely still for a moment, taking in just what they had heard. There were _no_ differences. Nothing had even begun to shift. Asriel had recited the same lines as before. Reaching out a tentative hand to the boy, Frisk tried to offer him at least some comfort.

Rejecting the comfort, Asriel turned away, looking down at a lone buttercup flower in his hands. "Wh-Why?" A faint voice spoke from behind him. He recognized it as Frisk's, hearing their betrayed tone. "Do you not get it?" His hairs prickled on the back of his neck, sensing some anger coming from the child. "Do you not get what the last ten runs were all about, Asriel?"

"I-I get that Frisk… but… it got me this far… right?" Asriel smiled, looking at Frisk fondly in the corner of his eye. "Because of you, I got to feel compassion again…"

"But that's not it! This always happens, regardless of what we did the past runs!" They protested, a being within them shaking their head in disapproval. "I-I don't get it…"

Asriel could only watch as they broke down into tears. They huddled into a ball on the floor, the reality of the situation finally taking its toll. In his time as Flowey, Asriel had heard it as well. It was all because of that Smiley Trashbag… Frisk had promised Sans not to reset after this final run…

And… Frisk failed…

Was their goal only to SAVE him? Was that the reason they insisted on replaying time. If… they had truly sacrificed all of this for him, then he would have to do his part as well. Slowly, he sat down next to the crying human, wrapping his arms around them in comfort. "Frisk… don't cry… I-I've made up my mind… W-When I turn back into Flowey… I… I'll give the surface a shot."

Frisk's expression immediately changed, their head shooting up to meet Asriel's gaze.

All they found was a flower looking back at them, a bitter-sweet expression on his face.

* * *

It had been thirty minutes before that thing had cracked open. Thirty minutes ago, I dove for some stray bushes to try to hide myself from whatever the hell that was. As I ran, all I had seen was some glass like shards flying out from a seemingly barren part of the mountain.

 _And then, I was forced to sit here, trying to control my damned eye._

Thankfully, the blood had stopped, but it was still burning nonetheless. Oh wait, did I say eye? I meant eyes, as in plural. It wasn't just a condition with just one of them, which doubled the pain. _Why couldn't I just control it?_

Whenever I was terrified or fearful, this would always be the first thing to happen. I had taught myself to just hide what I was feeling, but now… it was near impossible. After so long of just trying to make sense of this world, after so long trying to just fit in as a parentless child… I couldn't do it anymore. Everyone has their limits, and it seemed I had reached mine.

"Curse you…" I muttered under my breath, my voice coming out shaky as ever. A wispy form of magic rested in my hands as I stared down at them, eyes feeling as if they were being turned to crisp by the fire. The flames themselves never did damage… it was always me who accidently made them harmful…

"I've t-tried for so long just tr-trying to understand what you are…" My hands clenched into fists, the misty substance radiating outwards freely. "Yet, all you have done is made my life miserable…" It hurt. "Just stop…"


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Shattered (Revised)**

"My child! We were starting to grow worried!" _Great, had they really been gone that long?_ As Toriel took them into a warm hug, Frisk could feel her eyes analyzing them, looking for any _slight_ sign that they may be hurt.

The motherly monster had no luck finding even one mark on them from any possible attackers. As Toriel still insisted on wondering where they were, Frisk shook their head, "Mom, really, I'm fine."

"OH! HUMAN! IT SEEMS YOU HAVEN'T RETURNED WITHOUT ANOTHER FRIEND!" Papyrus's loud voice echoed through the cavern. The skeleton which had opposed them once on this journey. However, they couldn't say that they hadn't grown to enjoy the goofy skeleton.

The "friend" in question was Flowey, grumpily slouching in his pot. "And he seems as enthusiastic as always…" A shorter skeleton remarked, casually leaning up against the wall.

Frisk gave a huff towards the skeleton, otherwise known as Sans. "Sans… Don't be mean…"

"U-Um, I hate to inquire about this my child, but…" Toriel seemed a tad worried, which would be expected from her. She worried a tad too much in Frisk's opinion. "Didn't that flower try to harm you in the Ruins?"

 _If only she knew this was her own child._ Frisk thought, their hands grasping the flower pot tighter. However, before they could respond, Flowey inched up slightly with a more sinister grin on his face. "Oh please, get off your high horses!" His high pitched voice was eerily friendly, but also terribly wrong. "I mean… don't tell me that all of you have never touched a hair on Frisk's head!"

A chill came across everyone's souls at the statement. Of course, Flowey was telling the truth. Even Sans, who hated it when Flowey was correct, had to agree with him. "Fine, I guess you have a point, weed."

 _Mistake number one…_

"Wait, but Sans, I don't believe you ever tried to directly fight Frisk, did you?" Asgore asked as Sans stiffened. "Didn't you make a promise to Tori...el… that you wouldn't hurt them?"

"Uh… yeah…" _Daggers flying… blasters firing…_ "I didn't mean physically hurtin' them. I had to talk with them before they faced off with ya, and I may have scared them a bit…" Sans and Frisk both exchanged uneasy glances to each other. That was a casual slip-up.

Luckily, that seemed fine enough of an answer. Toriel seemed a bit worried about what may have transpired, but she did not question it fast enough before a loud groan came from Undyne. "Ugh, how about we make a decision and go? The surface is waiting for us!"

"LET FLOWEY COME WITH US!" Papyrus exclaimed, making Frisk jump at the sudden change of volume in the room. "I DON'T THINK OUR FLOWER FRIEND WILL CAUSE MUCH TROUBLE!"

 _If only he remembered what had happened nearly an hour prior when they were all trapped._ Frisk thought to themself, silently rejoicing that no one did really remember that moment, or Flowey would be out of the picture. There was a chance.

"Well, my child, are you ready?" Toriel asked, reaching out her hand to hold Frisk's. Taking it gladly, Frisk walked with all of their friends met on their journey, and walked through the tunnel leading outside of the barrier.

As they began walking, everything seemed the same as before. The normal routine took place as they walked outside the cave…

That would have been true, had Sans not felt something nearby. He'd experienced this feeling before as well. It was one of LOVE radiating from something nearby. Granted, it wasn't much of the vile substance, but enough that there could be some serious damage.

Keeping a watchful eye out, Sans decided to let the normal events transpire.

* * *

How long had it been since that loud crash? I had been hiding for at most half an hour. I dared not move, lest something actually came _out_ of that place.

Magic was always a strange thing. Whenever danger was sensed, or the slightest entity of hostility could be coming, if you were on edge, you'd know when it's there. I had felt like something was about to happen when the strange glassy shards flew past me, but nothing came.

Well, since nothing was happening, maybe it was just my imagination? Oh well, I had been known to hallucinate. That's what everyone had said when I had tried to speak to people about a strange, powerful, animal like being which had come three years ago…

At least, that's what I had believed at this time.

The… the attack was a terrifying one. I cannot remember all of it, as I was sent into a blind rage when I saw that the _thing_ was holding someone close to me when it came to my town. I don't remember what caused me to lash out… but all I can distinctly remember was when blood flew through the air, coming from someone who I had just attacked in rage…

And something within me increased...

I acted too quickly when I saw my friend, limp in that monster's grasp. A _monster_ is the only thing I knew how to describe it with. It looked like the personification of a demon. Yet, no matter how much I try to recall some evil in what it was trying to do, I could not do so. The monster seemed so… lost. It seemed as if it wasn't trying to hurt anyone.

It never fought back…

At least, that's all I knew before magic overtook me…

Now, three years later, and everyone acts like it never happened… Something like that would have stuck for a long time in history, yet not a faint record of the event could be recalled. Maybe I had gone mad…

Well, there was no use of pondering on it now. I was just delaying the inevitable, and I knew I had to do what I had come here to accomplish. Suddenly, that prick of magic came back, forcing me to dive back into my hiding place in the bushes.

I was right to do so, when I heard footsteps coming out from the massive cave the shards had flung out from. It took every ounce of me to contain myself as I watched beasts, along with a human, walking out of the cavern. They… they were so… _familiar._ Why did I see a resemblance somewhere in there?

Why did they exist? Why were they here? What did they want?

" _ **Stay put… and don't move an inch."**_ I told myself… Or, I thought I told myself that.

They all stood on the edge of the cliff, gazing off at the sunset I had scene awhile ago. "Isn't it beautiful, everyone?" A low voice came from the largest of all of the… monsters? It resembled more of a goat in appearance, but had fur… Dear god was I just dreaming, or was everyone right about me being insane?

"Wow… I-It's e-even better than on T-TV!" A scientist responded. The only thing that tipped me off to that was her lab coat, but she seemed to have that nerdy attitude from the sound of her voice. But… why was she just acting like this was the first time she had seen a sunset?

With a loud yell, a taller piranha-looking monster turned to the human, who seemed more at ease than confined… "Frisk, you live with this?" _Who doesn't see a sunset?_ "The sunlight is so nice, and the air is so fresh! I feel so alive!"

"HEY SANS!" A taller skeleton spoke, despite all logic on how that works. "WHAT IS THAT GIANT BALL?" All right, this was getting confusing. So they obviously had never seen the sun, but who hadn't seen it? That's just… confusing…

"We call that "the sun" my friend." A smaller skeleton stated smugly, slouching over as he watched the sunset with them.

With a leap of excitement, the taller skeleton exclaimed, "WOWIE! I CAN'T BELIEVE I'M FINALLY MEETING THE SUN!" I would say that the taller skeleton's antics amused me, but I was too busy panicking to try and make sense of what the hell was going on.

"I could sit here and watch this for hours…" The king wistfully muttered, dazed by the spectacular reflection of the sunlight across the sky.

"Yes, it is beautiful. Is it not?" The second monster that looked similar to the other goat-type monster asked, interrupting the moment. "But we should really think about what comes next." _Her voice… that motherly voice…_

 _They're gone, you can't change that…_ I told myself, barely noticing that my eye had reignited. Silently cursing, I covered it with one hand, trying to shield it from their view. Thank god, the other one hadn't ignited in flame yet.

I continued watching as the monsters talked a bit more, mainly the king making an offer to the human. It was strange how the human seemed to be at home amongst the monsters. Not once did they flinch at the intimidating stature or appearances. They just looked… joyful.

Paying attention, I realized something the king had said. "An era of peace between humans and monsters." Bells went off in my head as something clicked. Last time a monster had come here… it was slain in cold blood… How would this be any different?

Some of the monsters began walking off in different directions. The stocky skeleton comically walked the opposite direction of his brother who was heading to civilization, much to the dismay of the fish monster. Hopefully, she would be able to stop the skeleton before he got himself hurt…

It wasn't like I could do anything about it.

Eventually, it was just the motherly monster and the human, whose name had turned out to be Frisk, according to multiple monsters. The woman seemed to hesitate, drawing out a long sigh before slowly kneeling down next to the human. "Frisk… you come from this place… do you not? Does that mean you have somewhere to be?"

Frisk did not give a direct response, but instead, wrapped their arms around the motherly monster, surprising her greatly. I could have sworn she was crying a bit… If… if only I still could feel that way. "I will take care of you for as long as you like…"

They walked off in tow with the other monsters, running out to join them. When they were out of sight, I crept out of the bushes, making a dash for the treeline before anyone else could get near.

Only stopping once, I turned back, seeing hundreds of monsters pour out of the cavern.

" _ **Follow them, and don't fall behind."**_ A voice told me, my mind instinctively registering it as my own thoughts. Without a second thought, I crept along after them, wanting to know if they would make it or not.

If this was meant to happen, maybe I could learn something from them.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: What Are You Looking For? (Revised)**

Hesitation was the only thing keeping all of the monsters from going to the nearest city. I had only been around for a few days, struggling to even get food… This was a stupid plan, and I knew it. Sadly, there was really no escaping this now…

In moments when monsters weren't looking, I had managed to take some form of food from them, which I panicked upon doing so. I was never good at keeping calm when doing anything that remotely needed my absolute silence… I was a bit… jittery.

I had been lucky so far. My magic had yet to trigger, making me unable to be spotted unless I did something stupid. The only problem was that they were not heading to the city… Any longer and I would be spotted for sure. While they treated Frisk with kindness, I didn't know how they'd react to me…

...but if they wanted peace for humans and monsters, I don't think I should have been afraid.

Maybe around the second night… a few of the monsters were sitting around a makeshift fire, talking to one another. I won't lie, I was intent on eavesdropping on this group of monsters. They seemed to be the ones with the most knowledge, so why not? It was dark out, and if I stayed far enough away, I should be able to hear them.

Why did I even decide to do this in the first place?

From my position, leaning against a tree far off, I watched down upon their little gathering. All of the first monsters I had seen on the cliff were situated there. Granted, a flower I had neglected to notice was with Frisk… and… _Was it moving?_

The flower turned its head, glaring off in my direction. In a reflex reaction, I sidestepped behind the tree, not even daring to breathe, lest the flower tell anyone else I was around. Most of the monsters weren't _too_ intimidating, but being spotted by one wasn't exactly my cup of tea. To avoid any chance of getting spotted, I threw my hood over my head, covering my hair.

Holding the flower was the human once more. They seemed to never even flinch around the monsters. It was as if this whole experience was natural to them. For a human child, these things could be a perfect depiction of a night terror.

...And the most confusing bit was that the monsters treated them like a long-time friend. What had happened before they came out of that mountain?

Well, my question would be answered bit by bit, just not in the way I expected.

"So… we've been here quite a long time… haven't we?" Asgore asked, his expression turning to one of half excitement and half worry. "Shall we attempt to reveal ourselves to the humans?" _They shouldn't even bother._ Humans were unaccepting as far as they had shown me. What use was trying to enter another race into society?

Furthermore, what stopped them from killing these monsters just as quickly as they killed the first…?

" _ **Humans are strange… whenever they see something… unlike them… They are filled with nothing but fear and malice…"**_

This wasn't good. They were going to be killed, or if humans decided against their initial sense of fear, they'd never be accepted… The monsters didn't know what they were getting themselves into…

"I think it is a wonderful idea!" The boss monster, Toriel, spoke up. _No, it really isn't a good idea._ "After all, we have been hiding for nearly three days now. Wouldn't it be nice to finally introduce ourselves?" _Yeah… wouldn't it be nice throwing yourselves to your own deaths?_

Frisk nodded, explaining _something_ to the monsters. I couldn't hear it, as they were using… sign language? I could have sworn they had talked before. Before I could register what they were trying to say, another monster spoke up.

Well… as far as I knew, the flower was a monster. It let out a groan of annoyance, "Do you really think the humans will accept us so easily?" Its face was morphing into something terrifying. "They'll kill you all. Every. Last. One!" Finally, someone who was actually not completely optimistic about this whole thing.

With a small 'ack', Flowey flinched backwards as a spray of water pelted his face. It came from that smaller skeleton, Sans. "Piss off petals," He said with a smug look on his face.

"U-Um… maybe Flowey is a… a _teensy_ bit right…" Alphys started, stuttering through her words. Great, a scientist's opinion on the matter. Maybe she could talk some sense into the monsters. "W-We can't all just r-rush out into a mob! They'd be terrified!" They'd be terrified anyway…

Undyne leapt up from her sitting position on a log, "Come on, Alphys! We can't just stay here forever! If we don't tell the humans we exist, how are they supposed to show me the GIANT SWORDS!?"

I was beginning to question the sanity of these monsters… Maybe this was some lucid dream I was having before I died or something…

"Yes, I can see why all of us going out at once may spark… some difficulties… However, staying here forever will just delay the inevitable." Toriel seemed to be insisting upon still going out… "I think that humans would be rather interested in magic! Maybe we could reforge what we had in the past and teach them again."

I had to double-take to realize what she had just said. How had I been so stupid? The food that they ate seemed to magically disappear when eaten. The tendencies to understand each other without any interaction was obvious… Then, there was the fact that some of them probably had _actively been using it this whole time._ For instance, the fire they had created. It _had_ seemed weird that they were able to ignite it that quickly, and for the flame to rise with no effort...

Sans… despite his grin seemingly being closed, spit out his water he had been drinking. "Are… are you crazy?" I mean, no offense, Tori, but a human with magic could be devastating… After all, that's how they made the barrier in the first place…"

So, not only was I a threat to humans, but I also was a danger to monsters…

Alphys was seemingly getting more engaged in the conversation. It could have just been paranoia of doing something stupid… "Y-Yes… I don't think that w-we should go that far j-just yet… I-I mean… if you took that… mixed with our tendency to crumble i-if killing intent is there… we'd be killed if it g-got in the wrong hands…"

That sounded strange, and possibly even more of a problem for them than they thought. What if their own people misused magic? _They were… too similar to me._

"Looks like someone here actually has a brain!" Flowey teetered back and forth in his pot with a sing-songy voice. _Flowey was becoming relatable._ "You, Toriel and Asgore, should know better than anyone." His face morphed into one similar to theirs. "They were the ones who killed your son!"

Frisk had completely locked up, while Asgore brought himself to his full height. "I understand that you are Frisk's friend, and I will treat you that way…" A lone fireball appeared in the king's left hand. "Talk about that again, and you will not be unscathed…"

Flowey leaned backwards, his petals shriveling in fear. "H-Hey… take it easy. I'm just saying that Asriel wouldn't want his parents going the same way he did…"

 _Asriel…_

" _ **You remember that name… don't you?"**_

"Let's just be strategic about this!" Flowey exclaimed, trying to worm his way out of the grave he dug himself in.

Asgore sighed, letting the fireball fade away. "Then, what do you suppose we do?"

"I HAVE AN IDEA!" Papyrus launched up into a standing position, a finger pointing into the air. "IF IT IS LARGE NUMBERS WE CAN'T HAVE, WHAT IF WE WENT IN THIS SMALL GROUP, AND TALKED TO THE HUMANS!"

A moment of silence passed, most likely due to no one having thought of that at all…

"It's been decided…" Asgore's low voice said. "We leave tomorrow. Undyne, tell the rest of the monsters, please."

"On it!" The fish monster yelled, barreling into the woods. The rest began dispersing shortly afterwards. Well, it seemed like that eavesdropping moment was over… At least there would be less of a chance for an immediate attack, but… how would they be able to integrate at all? Humans _could_ and _would_ shoot them down if anything went wrong.

But, it would be too risky to try to talk to a monster. There was no way of ensuring my safety at a-

"Sup kiddo."

"AH!" In a yell of surprise, I fell backwards, seeing a monster standing in front of me. I hadn't noticed him at all, but there was one who had seen me.

He stared down at me, those glowing pupils analyzing just what I was. That stagnant grin on the skeleton's face did not help any matters. I couldn't tell whether it was one of amusement or malice. "Wow… you're clumsy…" He seemed to laugh a small bit, extending his hand. "Here, lemme help you up."

I was hesitant to take his hand. Should I do it, or should I get myself up? Well, in fear of angering the monster, I took his hand.

 _Only for a fart sound to echo through the air._

"Heh… the ol' whoopie cushion in the hand trick… it's always funny." Sans let out a laugh at my surprised and fearful look. His pupils floated back to me, seemingly staring into my soul. "That's your cue to laugh… or…"

 _I knew I wouldn't have held off long enough._ In that one moment, there was a small moment when my eyes had shown their true colors. "H-H-Hi?"

"Hm…" He seemed to think for a moment, but never commented on if he saw anything. "So you're a human… huh?"

I was terrified. He didn't seem like much of a threat, now that I was standing up.I was still taller than the skeleton, but that didn't change that he had some strange aura about him… It also didn't change the fear of him suddenly snapping my neck if he felt like it…

 _This was what humans felt, wasn't it?_

"Y-Yes… I-I'm human…"

Shoving his hand back in his pocket, he inquired, "So… what is a human doing out here so late at night?" _He was onto me…_

"I…"

" _ **That comedian…"**_ For the first time, I had heard that thought in my head distinctly. I knew I had not thought that. It had just appeared… Was I… going insane?

"I-I got lost…" I lied, knowing that it wouldn't be good enough.

The skeleton let out a sigh, his pupils dimming. "Welp, I don't think that's enough for ya. You do know why I'm here, right?" I gulped in fear, shaking my head. "Listen, bucko, you have a LOVE of three, and that isn't easy to come by."

"W-What do you-"

"To put it simply, you killed someone." A chill went down my spine. He knew far too much without knowing anything about me. "You've been lurkin' around here for awhile now, thinking I wouldn't notice ya…"

I took a step backwards in fear for a moment, before the fear contorting to something else. "And you, assuming things that you don't understand…" My eyes freely started burning now, unafraid of being revealed. "How about you back off, and stop trying to read my soul or whatever you monsters do."

"Jeez, take it easy." He gave a shrug, narrowing his eye sockets. "Here, I'm a curious skeleton, so I wanna know somethin'." His pupils disappeared, blank voids being left behind. "Why are you here?"

I let out a sigh,fear beginning to once more wave through my soul. "I came because of the fact that you monsters are about to throw your lives away, trying to make peace with humans."

"Hm, how so?" He tilted his head a bit in question.

"Humans…" I started, remembrance flashing through my head. "Humans don't understand things that are different from them very well… They… they'll kill you all if you make _one_ wrong move…" My knuckles began turning white. "They taught me that already…" I closed my eyes, the flames snuffing out. "If they decide against you… w-well… I don't think I want to repeat that again…"

Sans seemed to go silent for a moment. Those pupils just seemed to scan me as if I was some fragile being. "Here, how about you lay low until we reach civilization. If you know your way around here more than Frisk, then you'd be helpful."

"But I never agre-"

"Oh relax…" He spun on his heel, turning back to where the other monsters went. "Don't go telling me that you wanna go alone. That'd make you a liar."

He faded into the darkness, leaving me with my own thoughts.


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4: It has Begun** **(Revised)**

The skeleton… was a wildcard. Sometimes he would be kind to me, and just poke fun at me whenever he could. Other times, he would act completely on guard, and untrusting of anything I tried to do…

He wasn't predictable. That was for certain.

Now, whenever he so much as wanted to check on me, he'd appear in the strangest of places. Sans always knew where I was. It was unsettling, knowing that he was constantly watching my every move, even when I couldn't see him.

In the good times when he seemed relaxed, he would normally fill me in on who some of the monsters were. I did not know his reasons for even trusting me in the first place, but I dared not question it. I didn't want to give the slightest reason for the skeleton to try to pull anything against me.

Eventually, however, I realized that my time staying hidden would soon run out.

I had a two choices. I could either risk staying around, and travel back with the monsters, or head forward to the city and try to have nothing to do with them again. It was a moral dilemma. I could try to help them… but…

...were there any guarantees of me being any use to them…?

Was it even worth putting forth the trouble? I had no real reason to be helping these monsters. Unless Sans decided to turn completely on me and force me to stay with them, I could leave at any time.

As I continued trailing behind the monsters, I noticed that the forest was beginning to thin. Eventually, I'd be in plain sight. I had to act now, and if I wasted any time… I could get spotted by any other monster with a different motive than Sans…

There was no point in risking anything right now. Plus, maybe I could get ahead of them… Or, maybe I could have nothing to do with them at all…

...and get back to what I came to Mt. Ebott to do…

Biting my lip, I silently cursed at just how gullible I was. Pulling my hood over my head, I ran off in the direction towards Ebott City, trying to get a lead on the monsters.

" _ **...Where are you going?"**_ That thought echoed through my head. I wasn't the one thinking that. " _ **Don't you know that you cannot escape from what is coming?"**_ I tried to shut it out. " _ **It's fine… you will see in time…"**_

I had arrived at the city within minutes, being that we weren't too far off. Granted, I was running as fast as I possibly could so that no one was able to spot me when they got fully out of the woods. That could cause far too many questions and problems.

Sadly, humans have to actually breathe, which I had not done much of on that large sprint. I was surprised I was even still functioning after going that far. I'd never run that fast in my life except for one other time… and that was…

…

...unimportant.

Whether I had arrived early enough or not remained a mystery, as I kept an eye out for any sign of someone panicking or a large monster nearby.

Much to my shock and dismay, they had already arrived. _The moment of truth had arrived._ What had I even dreamt of getting myself into? I at least thought I would have a bit of time to breathe before being thrown into the chaos, but there was none. I had even _sprinted_ over here and _never_ saw them.

Unless… that damned skeleton used one of his "shortcuts" he always talked about.

I had gotten way over my head. There was no possible way I could even do the smallest thing to help them now. Why had I even begun to think that I would be able to change anyone's minds?

People were already screaming in terror…

" _ **Soon… soon you will see…"**_ The voice returned. I could hear it in its own tone now. _I was going insane._ " _ **Just what your purpose is…"**_

Police were beginning to arrive on the scene, immediately getting out of their cars and holding up weaponry. They'd been too fast. The police advanced on the monsters. Immediately, Frisk acted first, stepping forward to try to reason with them…

...until one of them grabbed their hand and started pulling them away from the monsters.

Against my will, I realized something terrifying. My hand was clenching and unclenching, as if it was testing out its own muscles. _I couldn't feel my hand…_ The feeling of numbness began spreading as I struggled to even panic. My mind was going insane while my body showed no signs of any emotion whatsoever.

I wasn't in control.

My body began moving from an unseen force, walking slowly towards the short skeleton. I could feel a strange grin on my face, one that didn't belong to me. No matter how much I tried to get my body to move in the opposite direction, it wouldn't stop.

One of the police spotted me, grabbing my shoulder before I could get too close. "Kid, you can't be here." Our eyes narrowed, two different colored glows appearing from both. "We're going to get this all sorted out."

" _ **If only that was the truth…"**_ A voice spoke. It wasn't mine, but it had the same tone… interlaced with something else. " _ **But you and I know that isn't true."**_ My body whipped around, dislodging from his grip on our shoulder. He was left unable to react at the sudden speed before a punch was sent straight into his stomach, knocking the air out of him.

 _I couldn't stop it._

The others noticed what was happening. Incoherent yells met my ears as my body continued on a charge for Sans. The skeleton had previously noticed us, albeit, a bit… unnerved at what was going on. Before he knew it, my hand grabbed his wrist in a forceful movement, as if saying, "Damn it you better listen up."

Apparently, whatever was controlling me decided on going for that route. " _ **Listen… Sans… You know how this normally plays out."**_ _They were approaching._ " _ **You're good at improvising. So, do yourself a favor and work your way around something about to happen that you know fully well of…"**_

Sans's eye lights had vanished completely, but we did not wait to see if he got the message. Before anyone could make a move to grab me, once more, I was speeding off down the street, weaving through people watching the scene play out. _Whoever was controlling me was a good dodger._

We ran and ran, not stopping once to look back. I couldn't avert the direction we were heading, or so much as try to hinder our progress. However, by the time we had finally gotten rid of anyone who may have had an eye on us… we began slowing down.

Whatever was in my body sighed, " _ **Excuse me for the rude introduction, partner. That happened a lot faster than I planned…"**_

I finally realized that it was talking to me, specifically. Dear god, what did it want? There were so many questions that needed answering, and this was one of them. "You hijack my body, attack an officer, and start talking to monsters, and you expect an 'excuse me' to make me feel better?" I scoffed, a sense of sarcasm flowing through me.

I'd seen so much crap within a week, that I didn't know whether to actually try to give a damn.

If the world was suddenly going to throw a ton of bullcrap at me, then I just would roll with it. This could be some trippy dream or something after death, so I just gave up on trying to logically explain what the hell was going on.

" _ **Sassy…"**_ It shot back, seemingly unfazed by any of the accusations. " _ **But you must understand, I acted to help those monsters. Your body proved to be the only thing I could use at the moment in time…"**_

Internally, I rolled my eyes, feeling a twinge of movement in my body. The numbness of being wrenched from all control was starting to wear off. "So… how long have you been in me…?"

" _ **That isn't what is important…"**_ It was being really vague about everything… Why? " _ **I'll tell you later, but as of now, we just need to wait it out. The monsters must handle themselves, now."**_

Why was this thing being so difficult? Why was it even in my mind? Was this truly just some spiral into insanity that I was going through? Now… I was starting to hear voices in my head…

" _ **You're not imagining this."**_ It spoke once more, finally letting me have full control back. " _ **So, how about you just get somewhere for the night, and we'll figure out what happens tomorrow. We don't want anyone seeing you after that fiasco…"**_

"The one that you started…" I sighed, putting my hands in my pockets. It felt good to be back in my body again.

" _ **Oh yes, says the one who tailed the monsters for three days…"**_ Ah, sarcasm… It always came back on me in full swing.

"Psh," We took a turn into an alley. "At least I'm not attacking officers for doing their job."

" _ **You and I both know that you don't think to highly of humans either…"**_ It could see into my thoughts… lovely. " _ **Where are we going?"**_ It finally asked, watching as we walked through the darkly lit alleyway.

"The only place I can go to avoid being caught by anyone." I answered, a grim expression forming on my face. "It's kind of hard to get an actual room when you're not an adult…" I paused… "Or when you have magic…"

" _ **Understandable…"**_

It kept reminding me of someone I knew…

I crouched down, finding a gap under the support of one of the buildings. It wasn't going to do much, but at least it would be better than staying out in the night.

How had it ever come to this?

" _ **Just go to sleep. I have something I need to show you when you do."**_

* * *

Sans's flashing blue eye lit up the darkness. He gazed around, looking for any sign that a certain human came through. He knew that it was rather dangerous and probably illegal for a monster to be roaming the streets right now, but he had a hunch of where I was.

I mean, it wasn't hard to follow something that he knew so well…

 _Too well…_

How he found me, I'll never know until this day. The skeleton always had his tricks, and it was rather… terrifying. However, when he saw a red and gold light shining out from a gap under the building, he knew he had found his target.

With a sigh, he lifted my body out of the place where we had hidden. Without a doubt, I was experiencing something in my sleep that was causing magic to flare… Sans decided on just doing a stat check when we got back to his temporary room.

With a sigh, he walked through a shortcut, "Sorry kiddo, but you don't have a choice if you wanna do this or not. You're needed right now…"

We both disappeared into the darkness in a flash of blue.

One reset was all it took to destroy everything they had worked for. As long as everything went as planned, the resets would stop. What I didn't know would soon show itself.

As we reappeared in Sans's hotel room, he lowered me down onto the couch. Surprisingly, I hadn't woken up from being wrenched through space and time. Well, easier for him.

With three clicks, an encounter was started. My soul rose from my body.

 _Holy crap._

The mangled thing that appeared almost wanted to make the skeleton gag if he could. It was still in the general shape of a soul, but he didn't think that a soul was supposed to have _cracked open._ It almost looked like a shell of red had been cracked open, exposing a gold one inside…

Screw it, he shouldn't be poking around like this. Sans's eyes began glowing brighter, analyzing my stats.

Bennett: LV 3, 5 ATK, 3 DEF

*He can only Hope to keep Determination

It all seemed normal with the stats if he didn't count the LOVE. Yet, a tinge of doubt began filling his head as the check did not stop after that. His eye lights disappeared as the stats formed a new name.

Chara: LV 20, 99 ATK, 99 DEF

*A leak in the system…


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5: Your Best Nightmare (Revised)**

And endless void stretched out through my vision as my eyes opened. I hadn't even noticed that they were open due to there only being emptiness wherever I tried to look. It seemed like wherever I looked, the darkness kept growing further and further…

" _ **Welcome…"**_ There was the voice again. " _ **You finally made it…"**_

"What… what is this place?" I questioned, my voiced interlaced with that hint of suppressed fear. It was so desolate in this place… I thought I could remember where I had seen this before, but there was nothing that came to mind immediately.

The darkness was almost as if it could suffocate anyone who went in. " _ **This is the void… a place that exists between life, death, and time itself. It can commonly be reached through dreaming, but can be accessed through alternative means."**_

I'm not sure whether that helped or not… Could life please just proceed normally for once without something that crossed all laws of logic occurring? "So… I think you owe me an explanation now…?"

A moment of silence passed between me and the unknown entity. However, just as quickly as their voice had ceased, it continued. " _ **Yes… I suppose…"**_ A faint red began glowing in the darkness. " _ **However, are you sure that you are ready for this?"**_

What was with the sudden worry? "I… I don't see a reason why I wouldn't…" The reason stood before me as a figure walked forward from the darkness.

 _No…_

 _This was impossible…_

"Hah…" This wasn't happening. "V-Very… very funny…" I was insane. "You died so long ago…" I would wake up, and they would be gone. This was all a lie. I'd spent too long trying to move on from that day, and now, it seemed I was weaker than I thought.

I was lying to myself this whole time. I knew that somewhere I had never truly moved on from when they died, but I just wanted to deny it with every ounce of strength in me. They were gone, and I was still holding onto the small thread of hope that I had summoned.

" _ **Hey…"**_ The voice had gone faint once more, almost to a whisper. However, it was now right in front of me. " _ **I… I didn't mean to make you… cry…"**_

God, I couldn't even keep a straight expression anymore. I couldn't even try to contain anything at this point. Why? Why did magic have to choose me? Why did I have to be the one to go through this insanity? Why couldn't I just live a normal life, without the pain of knowing I was the reason for everyone I loved dying?

"I…" My voice was so small, as if one simple force against it could make it cower back in fear. "I'm s-so sorry…" They stood silent, not daring to move an inch closer. "I didn't want to lose you, Chara…"

If I was dying, and this was my final thing I'd see in a dream before going, I'd accept that. However, I knew that somewhere, I knew that this was only becoming more and more real. I just didn't want to accept the responsibility and pain that it held.

The clothes they wore coming back on that day were still on them, as if they had never been gone. However, a red, shattered thing rested upon their chest, illuminating only their pale face. Their red eyes were still there, ever so judgingly scanning who they were talking to. But, I couldn't find any hostility within them.

" _ **Listen…"**_ Kneeling down next to me, they looked at my hunched form on eye level. " _ **What happened before is in the past. Holding yourself back because of it won't change what happened."**_

"Hah…" I wiped a tear from my eye, remembering one moment loud and clear. "But you weren't there for half of it. You never saw when…" I trailed off, my soul appearing on my chest. "When this thing decided it was time to change me…"

" _ **What do you mean?"**_ Worry began easing back into their voice. They looked down, flinching backwards for a moment at the state of my soul. It was as if it was barely being held together by the outer red shell, and yellow light rested within. " _ **What… what happened to you?"**_

* * *

How many more times would I come home to the same thing? How many times would I come over to fighting over the most pathetic things? Why could we never just be a family again?

There was something wrong with all of us in this sick excuse of a life. My mother was always trying too hard to fix things, that she forgot the small things in life. My father had come out of some regrettable actions, and was beginning to feel the weight of the world crashing upon him for his actions. As for me, well, it was obvious. I was frozen between being active and hiding, because my condition was becoming increasingly hard to hide.

But, once more, they were fighting.

This time it was about me. Why did I expect any different? I was a reoccurring problem. Everytime I wasn't able to control it, or everytime I did something horrible, it was reflected back onto them for "being horrible parents." I couldn't blame them for it, honestly. I was torture to be around. Anything I did would cause them more pain, and there was nothing I could to about it.

After all, I was a murderer, and they were the only ones who knew that. Everyone thought that the monster had killed a woman that day, but it was me who landed the hit in blind rage. They knew what I was, and so did I.

Listening to the fighting continue on, I opened the door to my room, going to sit down on my bed. However, before I could do so, I heard the sound stop completely. It was as if in the middle of the conversation, they had just completely stopped speaking entirely.

With worry seeping into my soul, I ran up the stairs, checking to see where they were. When I made it up to their room, the door was shut, as expected. However, the room was completely dark. Had they just gone to sleep?

They had.

Just not in a literal sense…

I only caught a glimpse of a limp hand before a flare of purple light flashed through the doorway, sent by some unknown entity. The stench of death met my nose as I realized what was happening. Not thinking, I burst into the room where the magic had initially come from.

Motionless, three cloaked figures, dressed in purple, yellow, and orange respectively, gazed in my direction, as if confirming I was their target. Blood rested on the floor, as if telling me everything I needed to know. They were dead, and I had never reconciled with them for my actions.

Purple chains flew through the air, as if summoned from thin air by the purple one. They began glowing, wrapping around my hands as if restraining them in thin air. Something emerged from my chest, as I struggled to escape, or even scream.

*You're purple now

A red heart flew in front of my chest. I felt empty without it, almost as if it was everything that I was. Truth was, that was exactly what I was. _That was my soul._ It turned purple, as if another effect was being placed on it. I couldn't move backwards.

The purple mage summoned a blade to his hand, the sharp end itself glowing with magic. There were more like me. It sent a diagonal slash across my chest, a scream echoing through the air as I felt something seep through my veins. I could feel my life slowly draining from me as the substance that had just gone into me tore me from inside out.

Karmic Retribution.

I fell to the ground, motionless. I could only look up a small inch, seeing my soul tremble, turning back red. It was shaking as if…

It was going to shatter. I shut my eyes, strength leaving me as the soul broke into two.

But…

I couldn't…

I couldn't let go, no matter how hard my soul tried. It was as if hands held my soul together, telling it everything would be fine.

*You are not done yet.

*Despite everything that has happened, you must hold onto your HOPE

A golden flame began shining from my right eye, magic swirling around my soul. Fire blasted out from my soul in all directions, the orange mage punching forward as it came. A barrier of force knocked the flare out of their way, lighting up the wood of the house on fire.

*But you refuse

The mages only had a small moment to look, before they found that I had disappeared from sight.

* * *

Chara looked on with an expression of terror on their face. They thought only the most determined of souls was able to completely refuse death, or even be able to reform itself at all. However, they now understood why my soul looked the way it did.

It hadn't fully refused. The determination in my soul was… weak. It was only being held together by hope, which would soon disappear as well, by the looks of where I was going. " _ **Listen, no matter what happened before, we will help you. I'll be with you the whole way, no matter what happens."**_

"What if I fail again?" I asked, my eyes fixated on my soul. "What if everyone goes the same way as they did, because I was too weak to protect them?"

" _ **We won't."**_ The void began flickering from my view. With a smile, they said a few words before I woke up. " _ **You're not alone anymore, remember?"**_

* * *

I could feel reality begin to bring its pressure upon me as I woke up. With a sigh, I stuck my hand in the air, trying to figure out where the upper part of where I was staying was located. I found nothing. Where… where was I?

My eyes finally adjusted to the harsh light that was threatening any chances of sleeping. I nearly jumped five feet in the air when my eyes landed on someone familiar. "Heya," The familiar skeleton said, eyes filled with what looked like amusement. "If we have one thing in common, it's that we can sleep anywhere."

Rubbing my temples, I groggily asked, "How did you even get me over here… and why did you bring me over here?" I would be uncomfortable, knowing I had just appeared in a skeleton's house, but it would seem like the exact opposite, due to the fact I was originally sleeping outside.

"Eh," He shrugged, leaning up against the wall. "I know a shortcut."

"Sans…" I groaned, burying my head in my hands."You can't do that…"

"Welp…" He looked to the side, that grin widening. "I just did, so I fail to see the point, kiddo."

"You're impossible." I gave up completely, flopping back down into my position on the couch. Talking to this skeleton was the equivalent of asking a wall to move.

"Well, if you could throw me a bone here, maybe we could change the subject and talk about what I'm really here for." Wait, did he just-

"SANS!" A voice echoed from another room in the apartment. "WHAT DID I TELL YOU ABOUT MAKING PUNS SO MUCH? YOU'RE GOING TO BREAK THE HUMAN!"

Sans gave a chuckle, "Sorry Paps, maybe I'll start that to-marrow." With a yell of despair from Papyrus, Sans took the moment to turn back to me. "That's my bro Papyrus. Don't worry 'bout him. He's harmless as can be."

"Good to know…" I absently muttered, feeling a spark of someone else awakening in my head.

" _ **Oh joy, look who decided to pick us up in the middle of the night…"**_ Chara was still here… " _ **Sans may seem harmless, but don't let that fool you. The skeleton probably already knows about some things that you didn't want him even touching up on."**_

'They seem fine now…' I thought back to them, looking in curiosity upon their shenanigans. 'What's wrong with a few puns here and there?'

" _ **Would you be serious about this? What's with the sudden change in mood?"**_ They asked, internally crossing their arms. " _ **Just keep an eye out for anything that skeleton tries…"**_

Snapping back to the conversation at hand, it seemed that Sans had aggravated Papyrus to the point of no return. Papyrus sighed, "THAT'S IT! IF YOU ARE GOING TO INSIST ON MAKING PUNS, I WILL JUST GO HELP UNDYNE WITH HER THINGS! YOU ARE NOW TASKED WITH FILLING THE HUMAN IN ON EVERYTHING!"

"Cool." Sans placed his hands in his jacket pocket, looking incredibly smug as Papyrus ran out the door. The skeleton turned back to me, a more serious demeanor on his face. "So, what you told me yesterday was a bit interesting, considering that you should have no idea about some of these things."

Chara seemed to be ready to take control at any second if they needed to. It was ironic, considering that they had just warned me that this would happen. However, I was not so confident. "You… you mean when…"

"You know what I'm talkin about, don'tcha?" Sans questioned, his pupils seeming to grow smaller. "Listen, tell me this, what told you to say what you did?"

" _ **Impulse."**_ Chara seized control of my body. " _ **I knew that the humans would try to rip apart what you have done, so I gave a little hint."**_

Sans seemed to be buying it, but I could tell that he wasn't sure. "Well, what ya told me helped." He turned around, walking towards the window. "The humans questioned us about six children disappearing on Mt. Ebott. We told them that they gave up their souls to free us."

 _The monsters were lying._ "But…" I paused, realizing just what these monsters had done. "You… you didn't need to lie, right? The… the humans d-did die by that, right?"

Sans sighed, realizing this question would come up. "The humans "gave up their souls", but some didn't do it willingly… When the king's son was killed by the humans…" A chill went down my spine as I began piecing together what had happened. "Asgore declared war on humanity. But now, war is the last thing on anyone's mind. I get if you don't wanna trust us, and that's fine."

"Why… why do you even want me? I didn't do anything for you." I protested.

"Sure ya did." Sans's eye lights came back to me. "You pretty much gave me a hint that I hadn't known about. And, to be honest, I'd like to understand more about this whole human-magic thing."

"Listen, Sans…" I started, feeling as if the skeleton was now an actual threat due to what information I had been given. "I'll… I'll give you one day of trying to change my mind, but if I don't, I'm leaving. And you better not follow me, because I'll have people onto you as soon as I catch a glimpse of you." I half-threatened.

However, Sans seemed amused. "One day is all I need, then." A blue light wrapped around my body as his left eye turned the same color, flashing between blue and yellow. "So, let's get right to it."

In an instant, we were gone once more.


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6: Your Soul Purpose (Revised)**

"AaaaAAAAH!" I yelled, splatting on the ground. I had no clue what just happened, and I was shaking in terror as I tried to get up. It was as if I had passed somewhere between time itself…

As I struggled to push myself onto my feet, Sans simply was standing over me casually, with a mocking grin plastered onto his skull. "You okay, kid?"

"Teleporting wasn't exactly on my to-do list…" I muttered in annoyance, brushing myself off. "But thanks for the warning." I remarked sarcastically.

Placing my hands in my pockets, I finally took the time to take a look at this place. Where we had teleported to was a meadow, stretching out towards a forest, which soon went up Mt. Ebott. I remembered running across this place when heading to Ebott City. After all, the city itself wasn't too far, but not too close either.

"So…" I started, breaking out of my observations. "Is this where we will be "practicing"?" I said, making air quotes. I was extremely doubtful about this whole thing. I hadn't been able to get grip on my magic in the slightest, and this skeleton thought he could do it in a day?

"Nope…" Noticing my confusion, he quickly continued. "Well, I can't exactly take ya anywhere until Alphys shows up. The lab where we'll be testing is _her_ property, after all."

I fell silent for a moment. "You… never said anything about someone else knowing about my magic." Sans had distinctly told them that a human with magic was a _bad_ thing as well. "I-I don't want too many people knowing about this…"

"Relax…" He waved a dismissive hand. "Alphys is good about keeping secrets… Plus, despite what I said two nights ago, monsters are probably gonna do just fine around ya if you wanna hang around."

"As if…" I scoffed, crossing my arms.

Not even a moment later, a large van drove up to where we were. I was a bit skeptical at first, only to see the same monsters that were around the fire. All of them seemed to be pretty close in relationships to one another.

Before I knew it, the fish monster, Undyne, had spotted me extremely quickly. "Human!" _Dear god someone spare me please…_ She was already walking towards me, seemingly towering over me. Keep in mind, I'm a fairly tall kid. This monster though… she rivaled that. It was terrifying…

Sans already noticed that I had locked up from the intimidation. "Hey, Undyne, maybe ya could act less… threatening?" He suggested, relieving me of some fear.

"Fuhuhu!" Didn't work… "Why would this punk be intimidated so easily? Come on, he dropped one of those humans like it was nothing!"

Chara seemed to groan, " _ **That was me… But hey, pains of being a ghost, am I right?"**_

'Well…' I paused for a moment, remembering the horrid feeling of being taken over. 'You _did_ use my body without my permission…'

" _ **So what?"**_ They responded, huffing in annoyance. " _ **I did what I had to do."**_

'Still, would have been nice for a warning…' I muttered, turning back to Undyne.

"Well, whatever!" She was way too enthusiastic about everything. "Still, thanks for standing up for us. What you said to Sans must have sparked him into not being lazy! And that's saying something!"

Chara had fallen silent, but their anger was still emanating through my soul. "I-I guess…" I didn't want to be held responsible for that event if the question ever came up. "Anyway… my name's Bennett. What about you?" I was never good at introductions, to be honest.

"Undyne, ex-captain of the Royal Guard!" She exclaimed with a toothy grin, extending her hand for a handshake. Thinking she'd take my arm off, I hesitantly returned the kind gesture, feeling as her iron grip choked the life out of my hand.

"Welp, while I'd love to stay and chat…" Sans interrupted, "We need to go do somethin', and Alph needs to come with us."

"I-I'm right here!" A high pitched stutter came from the side. Turning my head to the source, I found that she was one of the monsters who was skeptical about peace with humanity. "S-Sorry, U-Undyne, but I'll be back to help with everything l-later…"

"Eh, don't worry about it!" Undyne gave Alphys a rather forceful, but reassuring pat on the back. "Papyrus and I can handle all of this for a bit! You go do whatever you gotta do." However, before turning to do just that, she gained a more serious attitude towards me. "But you! Don't let me catch you causing trouble! The Royal Guard may be disbanded, but I'll sock you if you think about messing with any of my friends."

I was not keen on testing the theory, nor was I willing to dare to question it in the slightest. "Welp, we might as well be headed off." Sans casually shrugged off, lightly grabbing me and Alphys by our wrists. "Anyway, we'll see you guys on the other side, good luck."

Before I could register what was about to happen, once more, I was wrenched into somewhere between space and time. I was unexpectedly forced to the ground, no doubt by the momentum carried from this "shortcut" of his. If I hadn't caught myself before hitting the ground, I could have a nasty nosebleed. This careless skeleton…

Alphys seemed to be just as stunned as me, having to catch her breath for a moment. "S-Sans. Warn us b-before you do that…"

"Psh," The skeleton waved a dismissive hand, walking towards a draped cloth on the other side of this room. "You'll get used to it eventually…" With a whip of his hand, the cloth flew off of what was under it, exposing a dummy.

Now that I thought about it, this place was… seemingly like a lab. Well, it would be fitting, being that they were probably going to need to run a few tests on me. Then again, it was a tad unsettling, being that it felt as if I was nothing more than a test subject of sorts… "Gettin' cold feet, kiddo?" Sans questioned, now somehow standing right beside me.

From the sudden appearance of the skeleton, I jumped a bit in place. "N-No… I'm just wondering what the hell we are doing in a lab…"

"Well, for one, ya don't want any humans seeing your magic. Second, we kinda need some equipment to figure out how the hell a human got magic…" So, apparently it was not normal. Well, that was a given from the start. But, was it even supposed to be possible for humans to gain magic by other means?

Of course, but that'd be complicated, and most likely take years to even begin doing that…

"H-Here, we need to test y-your magical strength in your soul…" Alphys stuttered, walking carefully over to me with a box-looking mechanism. "J-Just place your hand into it, and try to summon any magic at all."

Hesitantly, I followed directions. Placing my hand inside the box, she switched on something. What it was, I couldn't tell. The technology from monsters seemed so bizarre. It was as if it had seemingly advanced more than our tech, but how would they be able to do that if they were trapped underground?

Flexing my hand, I felt as an uncontrollable shock ramped down my arm, magic blasting from inside the machine Alphys had clamped over my hand. She gave a little squeak of surprise, as the box trembled in her grip. "H-Ha, I thought Sans was j-joking when he said a h-human had magic…"

"I wish…" I muttered under my breath, Alphys taking the machine off of my hand. However, Alphys grabbed my curiosity when she grabbed her phone, and plugged the machine into it. Wouldn't it be more effective to use a computer program to figure this stuff out…

" _ **Despite being in the Underground for a long time, Alphys, along with her predecessor were able to improve it drastically. Some of the tech is advanced, while some is lacking…"**_ Chara explained. It was very strange and unnerving when they suddenly would speak again, reminding me that they were there.

How much could they see in my thoughts? Hopefully not much… That would cause too many problems.

"So kid," Sans forced my attention back to him, as he was now standing near the dummy again. "I think you really want to know just how you put your magic to use, so let's get to it."

"W-Wait… right now?" Did they truly want to show a human how to manipulate this power?

Sans cocked his skull to the side, knowing perfectly well what I was thinking. "Ya really need to stop being suspicious all the time." Sighing, despite the fact that he didn't have lungs, he followed up on his statement. "Yes, I'll teach ya how to do this, as promised. Ya helped me out, so I'll return the favor."

There had to be an ulterior motive to this. Sans wasn't the kind of person who would just… help out some random person he had just met. The skeleton was always wary of me from the start. Were monsters really this accepting? Or, were they just gullible?

" _ **Then let's get to it, skeleton."**_ My voice spoke against my will, no doubt form Chara. " _ **What? You took too long."**_ They said to my confusion.

Sans seemed to have noticed the sudden change of demeanor. However, he did not pry on it, and instead casually walked over to me. "So the first thing you need to know," A white shape appeared over Sans's chest, vaguely resembling a heart. "Is that magic isn't physical. It's tuned to your soul and emotions. For instance…" With a flick of his hand, he called my soul out from my chest.

I gasped as I felt my entire existence fly from my body. The blue that covered it shifted back to its standard color as he let go. "Hey! Ask before wrenching out someone's soul!"

The skeleton merely shrugged. "Heh, you're jumpy, but let's get down to business." Snapping, Sans brought out an embodiment of his magic. Popping into existence, a bone fell into his hand. "Monsters normally have bases for their attacks, as in a theme they are all centered around. Some are blatantly obvious, like a bone, but others are hard to find."

"So… what's mine?"

"Well," He flipped the bone in the air, making it disappear. "You have to draw out the power from your soul. You have to know why you need to call it, and what you intend to do with it. Eventually, you should be able to just summon it on will if you do it enough." As if demonstrating, Sans lazily threw his hand up, a few bones poking up from the ground.

I placed my hands together, shutting my eyes. What was I using this for? What did I truly want to use my magic for? Why did I want to learn to control it? I had nothing to truly fight for. Before this moment, I had… I had gone to that mountain to just end everything. So, why did I want this?

Heat began resonating from my palms as I opened my eyes. There was something igniting in between it, controlled, but unstable. It was a small flame, weak and fragile. Just as I registered what I had just done, I lost focus and the magic crumpled in on itself, shattering into sparks within my palm.

Feeling the remnants of the heat on my palms, I yelped, trying to quickly brush it off before it burned me further.

"Hm…" Sans's soul disappeared from his chest, the skeleton instead directing me to the dummy across the room. "How about… you try on the dummy, so ya have something to practice on."

"I don't think that's going to help…" I mumbled, despite that I followed his directions. The world seemed to focus in on the dummy as the battle was initiated. I asked myself the question again, straining my soul as magic coursed through my veins. What was I trying to solve with magic? Was it for the monsters? Was it for myself?

" _ **Would you like some help?"**_ Chara offered, as a flame ignited in each eye. I nodded, making sure to make note of anything they said. " _ **You are aware of the ambassador named Frisk, correct?"**_

'What do they have to do with this?' I asked, feeling heat start to generate from my fingertips. Just as quickly as it had come, it faded away, forcing me to start over on the process again. I looked backwards at Sans, wondering if he was silently judging this. Of course he was. That's what the skeleton always did.

" _ **Between you and me, they require something that you can offer if you gain control of your magic."**_ I felt the flames start generating once more, the light sparking from my hands as I tried to awaken it. Was this my base? " _ **And, personally, I have my own reasons for it. Help out a friend on this one, will you?"**_

'I'll try…' I responded, feeling the balls of fire finally form in my hand, fully created. With a mixture of shock and curiosity, I stared at the flame for a moment. It was as if it bent to my will on the slightest notion of moving. However, I wasted no time before using the power I had just unlocked. Thrusting my hand outward, I watched as the fire rocketed outward, colliding with the dummy. The entity itself was sent tumbling backwards, seemingly unburned by the fire.

It probably had something to do with magic…

However, the conclusion still stood. I had just effectively used magic. "And you thought ya couldn't do it…" Sans smirked from behind me, with a knowing grin on his face.

I brought another flame to my hand, tossing it up and down as it licked at my palms, seemingly refusing to hurt me. "I don't get it." I exclaimed, staring in confusion as I let the flame cover my hand. I flexed my fingers in and out, watching as the fire bent to my will. "I spent thirteen years with this stupid magic…" I threw my hand out once more, watching another ball of fire crash into the downed dummy, a blast forming from the flame. "And it only took under five minutes for me to learn how to use it?"

"W-well, you're far from m-mastering it." Alphys stuttered, once more flicking through her phone, no doubt looking at some results she had gotten from me using magic. "B-But… magic being in a human h-has always been harder to m-master. By… by all means, it s-should have taken y-you a week at best to even c-conjure a flame of that intensity."

Sans's curiosity seemed to perk up at that statement. "Alph, we'll look at those results when I get him back to everyone else." Without a warning, Sans extended his hand, blue light covering me, the world slipping away once more.

" _ **Try and stick the landing this time. Maybe your streak will persist…"**_ Chara encouraged me to try as reality began returning. Completely guessing, I threw my feet in a random direction, hoping it was the ground.

I nearly had it perfectly. My feet touched the ground, but I was leaning a bit too far forward. Thankfully, I was able to throw one hand down to support me. I really needed to get better at this… " _ **Seven out of ten landing."**_ Chara cheekily remarked, causing me to huff in annoyance.

"Oh please, you try to guess where the ground is going to appear during a teleport." I sarcastically shot back, observing the progress the monsters were making.

Had…

Had they really gotten _this_ much done?

For the love of god, it was as if a neighborhood was sprouting up. "Sans better have a good explanation for this… because last time I checked, monsters don't magically generate houses…"

" _ **Well, I'm sure that since the barrier was trying to be broken, they would have had some easy ways of transporting things to the surface when the time came…"**_ However, they didn't seem too convinced. " _ **I'm thinking this one has something to do with Alphys…"**_

"Whatever…" I had just realized I had been speaking out loud this whole time. Oh well, it wasn't like anyone had noticed me talking to myself.

" _ **Anyway, I actually noticed something very interesting about your base…"**_ They brought the subject up. I was curious about it as well. The fact that fire was my base was a bit random, so being that they were suspicious, there had to be something they had found out. " _ **Well, fun fact, that's actually the base of the entire Dreemurr Family."**_

"And?" I questioned, bringing a golden flame to life in my hand. The enriched color of them was mesmerizing in itself. "Can't different monsters have the same base?"

" _ **Same monsters? Yes."**_ They seemed to be really trying to dig deeper into this. " _ **But let's think about this. You just so happen to be one of the only humans with magic, and you somehow have fire as your base, the one the Dreemurr family has?"**_

"Coincidence?" I shrugged.

" _ **Maybe it is, but I'm going to have to look into this more…"**_ Chara said, seemingly falling silent for the time being.

* * *

"So, Alph, whaddya mean about him somehow excelling with magic so far?" Sans questioned, gazing over her shoulder at her phone.

"W-Well…" She pointed a claw to a scan of my soul. "It was as if… a-almost like he had an i-inate ability with his base…"

"And your point is?"

Alphys zoomed in on the picture, something very small, but quite noticeable showing itself. "I saw this small little flame in his soul… It… it has something i-interesting in it if I scan it again…" The flame seemed to sit there, as if taunting Sans for the inevitable answer. "It… contains essence of… something similar to Asgore and Toriel… which would lead to one possibility…"

Sans knew the answer. "It has the essence of Asriel's soul…"

"I-I-I-I m-mean… i-it should be i-impossible!" She readjusted her glasses, making sure she didn't do anything wrong. "B-But… the results are right there…"

"That's all I needed to know…" Sans knew exactly what was going on here. "And between you and me, this all just makes it so clear as to why the kid decided to go in guns blazing on those police…"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Can't Hide it Forever (Revised)**

The air behind me seemed to grow more rigid, as if someone was standing right behind me. As soon as I turned around, glancing to see who it was, I realized it was just Sans and Alphys. It seemed he decided to just play it stealthy instead of doing a blue flash… Why did he choose one over the other…?

" _ **That skeleton…"**_ Chara seemed to not be too fond of Sans.

Sans lazily walked up to me. He seemed just as impressed with this whole thing as well… "I wonder how the hell they got everything up here." Well, it seemed like even Sans couldn't figure out this phenomenon.

Trailing right behind, Alphys ran up to our side, seemingly wondering the same exact thing. "H-How on earth-" She nearly said, but quickly cut herself off. "Oh! I-I get it now!"

"What did they do to get this all done?" I asked her, turning my head to look around the area. Well, it didn't really look too different… unless…

"W-Well, Sans, I think you misjudged the teleport." Alphys explained, the skeleton in question raising his non-existent eyebrow. "W-We seem to have used a shortcut that went… too f-far, but lucky us! It s-seems everyone else h-had better plans!"

Sans seemed to be a tad confused, but just went with it. Shrugging, he decided, "Welp, let's just go find out how the heck this is possible. We were only gone an hour… at most…"

As we approached the hard working monsters, I began to notice something odd. There weren't just monsters working on these houses! "Are those humans?" I asked, slightly alarmed by the fact that some were willingly _helping_ the monsters. "I wouldn't think they'd even dare to get near you all…"

"Feel free to figure it out on your own." Sans waved me off, beginning to walk off in another direction. "I'm gonna go find Papyrus. You shouldn't get into any trouble on your own." Before I could even speak to stop the skeleton from abandoning me, he was gone.

Alphys seemed just as shocked. "D-Did he really just leave u-us?"

Why was that skeleton in such a hurry? Furthermore, what got him the idea to leave me with Alphys? This scientist was a quivering mess half the time. Humans weren't going to make that any better. Plus, I had the feeling that some may have still recognized me from the skirmish with the police.

"Ah! There you two are!" A deep voice boomed from behind us. I had only heard that voice from one person, or rather, monster. Immediately, I froze in place, not daring to look at the looming figure approaching. I was not ready for this at all.

Alphys was just as startled as I was to notice the king of all monsters approaching us. "O-Oh! Your m-majesty…" She turned around quickly facing him. However, the monster made no motion to bow. They must have been great friends for her to achieve that.

"No need to be so formal, Alphys!" The kingly monster waved her off dismissively. "You must not worry yourself over those little things." His gaze shifted to me, as I felt like he was staring, judging me for my every move. This was a king, after all, and I, a random human, was with his royal scientist. "I nearly didn't see you there! Greetings, human." The voice boomed over me.

It was bad enough that it was a king, but when a monster of this size was speaking to me, it was destined to send shivers down my spine. I carefully faced him, noticing the welcoming look on his face. He seemed definitely like a king, but by no means was he trying to impose that upon anyone. Yet even so, I made the move to bow, as to not give any chance to anger the monster.

However, I was stopped when a warm paw was placed on my shoulder. It was not hostile, only trying to stop me. "Human…" Asgore spoke, "You do not need to worry yourself with these small things. I may still be taking the role of a king, but I do not deserve that kind of respect."

What was he talking about? He was royalty for gods sake. I glanced upwards, unsure of what he was trying to pull here. I remained silent, wondering what I should do. "A shy one, are you?" He questioned, a warm smile appearing on his face. "Well, may I question what your name is?"

Monsters were strange. I had just met the _king_ of them, and he was already acting like some new acquaintance. It was terrifying, yet also… welcoming? I wasn't sure how to feel about it. I brought my voice back into existence, as it had felt like it had vanished upon seeing the monster approach. "M… My name is Bennett…"

"Ah, well then, Bennett, what brings you here?" He asked, holding his hands behind him. I nearly visibly cringed when he decided to try to have a conversation with me. I was not ready for this, nor was I good at talking to kings.

Alphys was not going to help me with this one. She was probably just as insecure about this whole thing as I was. "I-I'm with Sans." I said, trying to maintain some kind of eye contact with the king to show I was paying attention. I did not want to do anything to upset him.

"I-If I may, Asgore…" The scientist next to me spoke up at last. "H-How are you all here? This wasn't w-where we were planning to set u-up…"

"That's a funny story, Alphys!" He exclaimed, turning to the seemingly finished houses. However, they were very run down… Wait… had the humans let them- "Some humans told us that there were some run down houses not far from where we were. Of course, it was owned property, but the humans seemed to be very interested in our currency…"

"And now they're _helping_ you?" I suddenly questioned. The condescending tone in my voice was slightly evident, but hopefully not enough to spark suspicion. I wasn't fond of humans, nor was I going to be anytime soon if I could help it.

Asgore seemed to have not noticed the tone, and continued on. "Yes, some of the humans were… quite wary, but some of them came to help us sort these things out for a bit of pay." A small smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. "I never thought that relations with the humans would come this easily."

From behind, a tap came to my shoulder. With a sigh of relief, I realized it was Sans. Someone had come to get us out of this mess. "So… I see you all are getting along."

Alphys seemed just as relieved as I was. Sans was seemingly good at having a conversation if we needed to get out of it. "W-Well, w-we figured out h-how they got a-all of this done."

Sans's eye lights seemed to shrink. "I know… and I don't have a clue how the humans did a one-eighty from earlier…" He shrugged, shutting his eye sockets, "Oh well, at least this went a lot smoother than it should."

"Indeed," Asgore was not good at hiding that he seemed to be a bit on edge around humans. "I must attend to making sure all is going well with the humans, farewell, you three." With that, Asgore turned away from us, walking off to speak with others.

The one who had saved us from the conversation seemed to have something else to say to us. "So, I found Undyne and Paps." He glanced off in a direction, blocked off by a seemingly bustling line of monsters and humans. "They're through that chaos. Luckily, Papyrus seemed to have some speed, and they've got a surprise…"

I could only imagine what that yelling skeleton had done. He seemed a bit too… excited about every small thing, and I wasn't sure if I trusted his judgement of looking for the least run-down house. "And, what do you think about this "surprise"?" I asked, crossing my arms.

"Psh, no need to be sassy." The skeleton casually waved me off, seemingly not caring about my current attitude. "Grab on, we'll find out." He said, extending his bony hand out to me. Making sure that Alphys had my other hand in her grasp, I grabbed onto Sans, the skeleton leading us into this strange place we always went through.

This was a shorter "shortcut" as he called them, causing both Alphys and I to be caught off guard when the ground was coming right below us. It was a wobbly and unstable landing for both of us, Alphys nearly falling over. Thankfully, she was able to regain her balance. If she hadn't, there was no telling what that fish woman would do if she saw Alphys with a scratch. From what I had picked up, they were in a relationship.

Undyne, speaking of which, was not standing too far from us. The terrifying thing, however, was that she was on the roof. I wasn't sure how I felt about this maniacal fish standing up there. Her one eye caught onto us, her toothy grin widening. "HEY! YOU TWO!" Performing a massive flip, she leapt from the roof, landing on the ground, kicking up dirt. Some humans looked on, rather impressed, but also slightly terrified. "You won't BELIEVE what happened!"

"Hit me, I've currently learned about magical beings trapped under a mountain." I glanced to the side, "I don't see how it could get much more insane."

"Eh, point taken." She shrugged, "Either way though, you gotta admit that the humans helping us with this was unexpected." However, there seemed to be something else we didn't know that came out of her mouth. "Besides that though, Papyrus and I snagged these two houses for ourselves. They're barely even run down!"

I took a moment to actually look at the one we were next to closer. Other than it needing a new coat of paint, and a definite clean out, it was still really decent for any monster to live in. " _ **Still, as far as we know, we'll be back with a rented room again."**_ I heard Chara speak once more, their voice nearly making me jump.

'I have a feeling they aren't giving up. We still have a lot of daylight, and a ton of humans to help.' I thought back, seeing some walking our way.

"Well?" Undyne punched her palm, "You all ready to get working!? WE'RE GOING TILL SUNDOWN!"

* * *

I hadn't planned on helping, and most of the time, I was restricted from doing so. However, I wasn't sure if I could have contributed. It wasn't like I needed to either. They had _finished_ making this place suitable to live in, minus any air conditioning, fire alarms, or anything other than lamps.

Undyne had been the main contributor, effortlessly running with stacks of supplies from point A to B, doing insane heavy lifting. Papyrus seemed to play his part as well. He was still getting the grips of it, but every now and then he would be able to almost make someone _float_ into the air. It just seemed to speed things up for them.

Regardless, I was done for the day. The sun was going down, and some monsters were already getting ready to go back to their apartments. Sans had mainly been with me, not doing anything except occasionally annoying Papyrus. Poor skeleton, he had to deal with the defeat of getting owned with a pun, an art not many can master.

I couldn't tell if Papyrus just hated them, or was having the common reaction of annoyance.

"So, are we going back anytime soon?" I asked Sans, who was sleepily laying up against the wall of a house we had sat up against. "It seems to be getting late."

"No worries about that." He glanced to the side as if knowing something. "I think we are well prepared to stay here."

"But we don't have any furniture…" I audibly mumbled, Sans picking it up.

Yet, once more, that didn't deter him. "Pfft, you really haven't been paying much attention, have ya?" Sans cocked his head, giving a questioning look. "Furniture is already here. We can pretty much stay here."

That sounded odd enough, but he wasn't lying. When we walked into the house, it was as if it was built from the bottom up just now. They had cleaned this thing out as if it was nothing. I mean, I _had_ seen a monster with a strange sense of wanting everything clean, but still, this was unfathomable.

"WELCOME HUMAN, TO THE WONDERFUL ABODE OF THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" The lanky skeleton charged in behind us, yelling all the while. "WAIT…" Papyrus's eyes bulged out. "HOW DID THIS FURNITURE GET HERE!?"

"I dunno bro." Sans's grin widened even further. I stole a baffled glance at him. He had _just_ told me I was the one not paying attention. "It's a secret." He caught my gaze, putting his finger over where his lips would be if they existed.

Papyrus put a gloved hand over his face, giving up. "THAT'S IT, I QUIT!" However, he turned to me, completely changing his expression. "HUMAN, I DO NOT THINK WE HAVE A THIRD BED, SO YOU MAY TAKE THE COUCH! AS FOR ME, I REQUEST THAT SANS COME WITH ME! WE HAVE URGENT MATTERS TO ATTEND TO!"

Sans seemed to roll his eyes, that grin remaining on his face. "It's a bedtime story, if you're wondering…"

"SANS!" Papyrus stomped his foot. "I AM TRYING TO SOUND OFFICIAL!"

"Too late for that." He shrugged with his hands in the air. "Anyway, g'night kid, we'll start again tomorrow." He said with a wink, walking upstairs with Papyrus.

Before I could respond, I heard Chara's voice cut me off. " _ **Sleep, now. We have things we need to talk about."**_

"Why so sudden?" I asked, confused at their tone of voice. "Is something wrong?"

They remained silent as I laid down for the moment. A presence in my soul shivered. " _ **Just. Sleep. We need to talk. Now."**_

* * *

My dulled into sleep as two humans came into view. I found myself falling in this strange dream world that had made itself in the void. I slowly floated to the floor, my vision finally refocusing as I recognized the two entities. One of them was easily seen as Chara, the other, someone I had not introduced myself to in the slightest.

" _ **So, you finally arrived…"**_ Chara seemed to have noticed me without a glance. " _ **Took you long enough."**_

I arched a brow, hearing the harsh tone of their voice return again. "Well aren't you in a good mood." I mentioned with a sarcastic tone to my voice. Why were they so on edge?

" _ **Maybe it's because we have something urgent to discuss, and you stayed up until midnight helping those stupid skeletons!"**_ Chara must have had some sort of vendetta against them.

"Chara…" A soft voice spoke out against their raised voice. It was none other than Frisk who had spoken. They seemed to have an uncomfortable expression on their face. "We don't have time for this. I know you're angry about before but-"

" _ **Angry?"**_ They whirled to the human. " _ **Frisk, you know how much we've done to get this far. Of course I'm pissed when we are wasting valuable time to finish this."**_

My confusion only became more prominent. What were they talking about. "Never once was I told about any plan. You can't expect me to know everything that goes on, unlike you being able to poke through my head."

" _ **You and I both know I can't see all of it."**_ Chara scoffed, " _ **But fine, I suppose we do owe you an explanation. Just don't fall behind. You need to get this down."**_

I was getting more unsure of this by the second. It was all happening so fast. What were they so worried about? "What is it then?"

The ghost only became more distressed. Whatever was soon to be said was taking a toll on them. I could nearly just feel the emotions radiating off of them. " _ **So. I assume you remember a monster that came through your village many years ago, correct?"**_

Noticing Frisk look confused, I nearly wanted to ask them why it was so, but I ignored it. However, in that moment, I was shocked to realize what they had just said. "How did you know about th-"

" _ **Answer the question!"**_ They yelled, the hostile demeanor coming over them again. " _ **I will say it once more. Do you, or do you not, remember a monster in your village years ago."**_

Was this what it was about? Had they finally found out the pure detail of what I had done? "Was it that obvious?" I asked, my eyes beginning to glow. "I watched you come home dead in that thing's arms. I had to watch as everything crumbled right out from under me when I finally unleashed my magic at its full force."

" _ **What would you do if I told you that the monster who you took part in damaging was my**_ **brother?"** I instantly recoiled, the human turning away from me. " _ **I will not blame. You couldn't control it at the time. However…"**_ An ominous cold began creeping at my skin. " _ **I brought you here for a reason."**_

I hadn't had much suspicion of Chara insisting that I go with the monsters. They just seemed so convincing about the entire thing. Never would I have expected for them to use me. "So you brought me here just for your benefit?" My voice was becoming quiet.

" _ **It's not like you were leaving anything behind…"**_ The ghost seemed to give a knowing grimace. " _ **Besides, it wasn't like you were well in your previous condition…"**_ Chara hovered slightly in the air, shrugging, " _ **You may call it manipulation, I call it productivity."**_

I knew I shouldn't still go along with this. It was now should have been completely out of my mindset to continue with this. However, I was curious. Too curious for my own good. "Then? What was so important that you had to drag me into a monster haven?!"

" _ **Because I had a suspicion that you could help me bring my brother back!"**_ Both shock and confusion came upon me as they continued. " _ **Why is your base fire? You may ask… It's because you somehow obtained a fragment of Asriel's soul!"**_

"And how do you just _know_ all of this?" This was getting absurd. How would I have a fragment of a dead monster inside of me?

" _ **It explains it all! Your magic, your base, why Sans would want to keep you closer, because you have th-"  
**_ "Chara." Frisk interrupted, speaking softly. However, we could both tell that in their voice, there was an interlaced assertiveness. Their face seemed to remain neutral throughout this whole thing, and it was confusing the hell out of both of us. "Can I please handle this?"

The ghost stayed silent for a moment. They seemed angered, but went along with it. " _ **Fine, go ahead. Just don't blame me when our chance runs off again."**_

They nodded, walking to be slightly closer to me. Frisk looked me in the eye, or at least, I thought they did. It was rather hard to tell, with their perfectly neutral expression. It made them even harder to read. Just what I needed, an unpredictable kid trying to get me to go along with all of this.

"You were brought here under unusual circumstances, I know…" Frisk began speaking, their voice coming off as almost calming. "Sans told me about you early on… I took a chance and tried to get Chara to bring you here. Turns out that we got lucky, and now, we are asking you to do something more."

I sighed, feeling a sense of defeat looming over me. Truly, no matter what I did, I had a feeling Chara would be there to stop me. The least I could do for them helping me with my magic was to at least hear them out. "So then, what is it that you need me to do?"

"We only need your cooperation until we can get that fragment out of your soul." Frisk put their hands behind their back, looking extremely formal. It was strange how a child was acting this way. "Then, you are free to go on your way."

"Am I being put in any danger here?" I crossed my arms, knowing that the answer would be a yes. It was coming from my soul for crying out loud.

Although, Frisk seemed to be perfectly fine with the idea. "Worst case scenario, you'll have to encounter him in a fight if he refuses the opportunity of a soul…" They shook their head, seemingly dissuading themself from the thought. "However, I don't think that will be necessary."

With a deep breath, I considered my options. What really would I be accomplishing helping them? Was it just a moral motivation that even made me consider the idea? Or, was it the fact that I essentially had no care for my well being in the current time. To be honest with myself, I had nearly done away with myself from the very start, so why would I suddenly care about not dying? Was it just me being lazy?

Who cared? At this point, if it would mean I could finally go without anyone following me, or any skeletons trying to "make me feel better", I'd take the opportunity. "Well then, what do you need me to do first?"

Chara looked almost surprised. " _ **Listen, we haven't worked out all of the details. All we know is that we need to get Sans to know about my presence. Then, we can work from there."**_

"We'll talk more about it as soon as possible." Frisk stated, still neutral in their expression. "We don't have much time left here. Just try to get his attention without any destruction. We can't have Sans against us."

" _ **Before you wake up, I have one more thing to show you to ensure that we come out of this alive."**_ They held their hand out, beckoning to something.

My soul emerged from my chest as if pulled out on command. I could feel a creeping feeling coming upon my entire existence. "W-What are you doing?"

Something seemed to be coming out of their eyes. Their expression was becoming more grim, yet still terrifying. " _ **You will need this. I apologize in advance, but this is going to hurt."**_

I felt as if a shock drove through my body as their hand touched my soul. The two faded from my view as the pain became almost blinding. So many things began flying through my head as the void around me disappeared. I could hear voices speaking. I could see events that happened far before I came here.

" _ **Use my memories of Asriel well. We'll discuss this later."**_

With that, they left me for the night, leaving me frozen in my sleep, watching their story unfold.

I felt like my eyes going to completely turn to ash. The memories being forced into my head were not helping to stop the flare of magic. I was seeing too much. There was too much to comprehend, too much to take in. I wanted to scream as the memories flooded through my head. The thoughts that didn't belong to me, the emotions that shouldn't be mine kept invading.

Yet, as more and more came upon me, they seemed as if they were slowly becoming mine. It was terrifying, seeing things from another perspective like that. The horrors that Chara was showing me from their side…

It was as if I was feeling firsthand soul absorption.

Yet, it was just a memory, and just as quickly as it came, it was gone. It felt like I had gone through months of pain, but in hindsight, it was only a few seconds.

The void was gone, being replaced by two blurs in front of me. I blinked, trying to clear my eyes of the tears that were emerging forth. I couldn't make out the voice speaking to me as the sound of that soul shattering filled my ears.

Finally, my eyes were able to focus on a face. It was Papyrus. The once frozen smile upon his face had turned to one of worry. "HUMAN!" He was trying to calm me down. That poor monster had only been met with more screaming until now. He'd finally gotten some form of recognition that I saw him.

My head slowly turned to my hand. It was engulfed in flames, suspended away from my body by a blue aura. Sans had his arm raised in the air, keeping it away from my body. He was not too sure about the entire scenario either. "Kid, what the hell?"

Papyrus got me out of my current position, trying extremely hard to calm me down. His worry was being drowned out by my own thoughts. "Human, please…" Papyrus's tone had taken a more quiet one as he tried his hardest to stop how fast I was breathing. "It's fine! You're fine!"

Sans, meanwhile, had already begun calling someone. His magical pull on my arm had yet to cease, keeping the lethal magic in the air. His one activated eye studied me closely, making sure I didn't make a move to pull anything dangerous. "Paps, we're gonna take a shortcut and do somethin with Alphys real fast. We gotta get this sorted out."

"WAIT, SANS… ONE MOMENT… I THINK I'VE GOT IT!" He exclaimed. I was finally able to look at him in the eyes. The fire in my eyes dimmed, starting to finally retract as I came to my senses. The echoing memories began fading back into my head as it was replaced with nothing but a throbbing pain. "HUMAN? CAN YOU HEAR ME?"

Of course I could. When he was yelling in my face, it wasn't that hard. "I-I'm fine…" I choked out, trying to disable my eyes.

"Kid, stay still and let Paps heal ya…" He said, going back to talking to whoever was on the other side of the phone.

I weakly turned my head to a throbbing pain making itself known to me. Upon my arm rested something that I was familiar with. It was a burn. How had I done that? Papyrus was running his hands over it, a green light washing over it. "IT'S… ALL RIGHT, HUMAN." His voice was unsure of himself as the burn began slowly fading into my arm. "IT'S A MAGICAL INJURY… I SHOULD BE ABLE TO HEAL IT."

"W-What did I…" I felt as if the pain was slowly slipping away. Papyrus had a sense of urgency when healing me. Whatever must have happened, it must have startled him far too much. I looked up at my suspended hand, seeing as it was still ignited. Clenching my fist, I dispelled the fire, watching as the flames dimmed. As if on cue, the blue light keeping it in the air faded, allowing me to move freely.

Sans seemed to end the call with whoever he was talking to. He seemed just as concerned as Papyrus. "I'll put it simply, bud." Running his bony fingers over his temples, or where they would be, he sighed, "You were muttering some really weird things, and you started trying to hit something that wasn't there."

 _It was because of how much pain they were in during the attack._

I had to have been trying to fight back, knowing fully well that it was just merely a memory. I must have scared them. While I wanted to hope Chara would come and cover for me, I couldn't feel their presence at all.

"Ya care to explain anything you know about what may have just happened?" His eye lights narrowed as he spoke, as if challenging me to dodge the question.

It hurt to recall every small detail of that nightmare. No matter how much I tried to get the words out, all the pain would come back. The echo of that monster dying…

 _It was torture._

"I-It was just… something I'd rather forget…" I tried to force a smile, but the weakness it contained could have just been a blinking sign and it wouldn't make a difference. It was too obvious. "That's all… D-Don't worry about me."

Sans just glared, pretty much not having any of it. "Look, bucko, I won't try to push anything sensitive, but one day you're gonna learn that you can't hide everything. You can't always play that charade." He tried to see if that would have pushed any new reaction out of me. Much to his disappointment, I remained silent about what I had seen. He knew he wasn't getting anywhere. "Welp, we have to keep working on your magic. Alphys is going to make sure that _doesn't_ happen again."

"SANS…" Papyrus interrupted, looking in the opposite direction. "IF… IF THE HUMAN NEEDS SOME EXTRA GUIDANCE, I WOULD LIKE TO COME TOO!" Papyrus had just jumped us with that idea. I was not comfortable with the skeleton being near me with what he may have seen.

"We probably need all the help we can get." Sans looked to my expression, seeing one of shock and confusion. "Even if you really don't like it…"

Before I could protest, a creak came from the direction of the door. It seemed someone had come in. All three heads turned to the intruder, finding it to be a familiar face. It was that scientist monster from before! "I-I-I got here a-as fast as I could!" She exclaimed, having barreled through the door.

Sans seemed to give out a small 'heh'. "Well, you're a bit late, but also in a sense right on time." He beckoned me to stand up as he continued, "We hafta train this kid's magic still, and we had a bit of an accident this morning, so now's a better time than ever, being that Tori is meeting us back here at the house later."

"WELL THEN! HOW ABOUT WE HEAD OFF NOW?"

Alphys nodded hesitantly, wringing her hands. "I-I guess that works?"

I shook my hands in distress, "But I just woke u-"

A flash of blue resonated around all of us, transporting us to our next location. The skeleton was not having any of my crap today… Well, this would be eventful, that would be for sure.

* * *

"C'mon? Not even enough speed to hit the dummy before I move it?" Sans cheekily stated, leaning up against the wall. His eye was blue as he moved the dummy with his magic, trying to see if I could muster up enough momentum to hit the target.

My eyes watched the moving target, trying to predict where it would rest after I threw a fireball. I remained silent at his remark, instead sending another projectile spiraling through the air. Once more, it was too slow, and the dummy was moved out of the way before I could make contact. Go figure.

Sans stopped his magic on the dummy, thus his eye fading away with the telekinesis. "Seriously, something is eating at ya." His face, while keeping that eternal grin, did show signs of slight concern.

"I'm fine…" I grunted, dispelling the fire from my hand. "I'm just tired."

His eyelights studied me curiously. Of course, he knew that I was lying. I was terrible at the art, anyway. He turned towards the small room Alphys stood in, motioning for her to step out. "Alph, you didn't pick up anything different, did ya?"

The monster he questioned leaned into a mic in the other room. "N-Nothing different really. Nothing s-should be holding his magic speed back."

" _ **This is getting really dull…"**_ The sharp voice of Chara pierced through my head, reminding me they were there. I wasn't sure how to talk to them after last night. What I had seen had not only been a major blow to me, but they had felt exactly what I had. However, they were there firsthand. They felt it much worse…

Golden flames sparked in my hand as I tried again, hurling the fire at the dummy. Sans once more moved it to the side. However, I clenched my fist, splitting the orb of fire into multiple. All of them were still too slow. 'Then, what do you suggest?'

Chara seemed to disapprove of me being slow with the magic, but didn't focus on it for too long. " _ **Sans is definitely onto us right now. I'm not too confident in your question evasion skills, so we're going to take the bull by the horns."**_

Internally scoffing at their slight jab, I continued trying to hit the dummy, still far too slow. 'Then what do you need me to do?'

" _ **Reveal that you know about the soul, and hopefully he will comply. What we cannot have happening is him incapacitating us when he finds out about me or Asriel."**_ Their voice, while quite clear, seemed to carry a bit of uneasiness.

'Comforting…' I sarcastically stated, doing as they said. I had no choice, anyway. Agreeing to Frisk's plan was probably the worst idea I had in a long time. "Sans, do you really want to know the reason why I was freaking out last night?"

The skeleton's pupils shrunk slightly as he watched us curiously. "Well… that was sudden…"

"Why do you say that?" I put my hands in my pockets, trying incredibly hard to not tremble slightly because of the intimidating look he gave off. He shouldn't have scared me. Hell, he was just a skeleton with a jacket who was lazy.

His grin shrinking, the air seemed to grow cold. "Seems like ya changed immediately in a matter of seconds. You went from keeping silent to straight up telling me everything…"

I could almost feel Chara trying to take control from my body. They were becoming panicked. " _ **You approached it too fast! Give me control, now!"**_

"It's because I know something that may interest you and Alphys here…" Even Papyrus was starting to get worried at the thick tension in the room. "Were you, or were you not aware that my soul contains part of a _prince._ "

Three clicks resonated through the air as my soul appeared on my chest. Sans seemed to be analyzing my every move, watching me as if I was some monster. "Listen, kid, I really don't wanna do this at all, but I don't think you're the only one in there…"

" _ **Bennett! Give. It. Now!"**_

"But, y'know…" He shrugged, "This is something that I can't allow to happen. Someone else is talking to you right now, I bet, telling you all of this information…" One of his eyes turned blue as an icy grip clenched my soul. "Sorry kid, but I can't take the risk."


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: The Worst Person

 **Song: Undertale - Song That Might Play When You Fight Sans - Dual Mix - Made by Goof**

"Sans what are y-" I was stopped short as skulls appeared on all sides of me. Their mouths opened wide as beams of light fired from them. I swiftly launched towards the middle of them barely missing the light. I stopped, skidding to a halt, one hand to the ground. "Sans stop!" I yelled as bones flew at me from all directions.

"I'm sorry." He said closing his eyes. My soul turned blue as I followed it to the wall, dust flying from where I collided.

I zoomed out of the dust both eyes aflame. " _ **Let me take over. It's what he wants to know."**_

I didn't respond. I leaned backwards barely missing a barrage of bones heading my way. Another shot up near my foot barely hitting my leg. It left a small cut as I let out a groan.

Gaster blasters surrounded me in a circle. My eyes shone with ferocity as I threw my hands to my left and right. Golden flames appeared in both challenging Sans's blasters. The fire surrounded me shielding the blow. Sans seemed rather impressed.

I hadn't noticed that Papyrus stepped in trying to stop Sans. "BROTHER WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" He desperately tried to snap Sans out of it minding his 1 hp.

"Papyrus back off. I know what I'm doing." He stressed. "Just let me handle this."

Alphys had hidden in the smaller room to avoid the powerful attacks being launched back and forth. I was preparing to dodge the next attack when I started feeling numb. Chara was easing into control. I stopped resisting allowing them to have full control over my senses. We grinned madly as Sans stopped the attack. " _ **Stop your little game Smiley Trashbag."**_

Sans's grin widened as he noticed who was talking. "Knew it, so tell me, how did you two end up sharing a soul." Our soul was turned blue yet again as he threw us in all directions. Chara was able to dodge every single attack without hardly trying.

" _ **Well, honestly I don't know."**_ We dodged to the side narrowly missing a bone. " _ **All I know is that you're attacking someone for no reason."**_

Sans threw his arm forward, Gaster Blasters firing. "And you care?" He asked inquisitively. "That's a first."

Chara used a maneuver I had never seen. They surrounded us with fire and jumped through the Blaster beam, unscathed. " _ **I do care as a matter of fact."**_ We landed on our feet smirk widening.

" _ **And remind me Sans… what was it you asked me in the judgement hall."**_ We slid under another barrage of bones in an X formation.

" _ **Wasn't it… "Do you believe even the worst person can change, if they just try?"**_ I was just as confused as Papyrus and Alphys at this point. These two had a strange history.

" _ **So tell me…"**_ We were in front of Sans now. Chara could have easily landed a hit, but we just stood there. " _ **Do you?"**_

"What are you trying to say?" Sans squinted, eye still blazing.

" _ **I'm saying, do you think that I could change too?"**_

The question caught Sans completely off guard. He started sweating. "Well, how can I trust you?"

" _ **Have I killed anyone yet?"**_ Chara asked rolling their eyes. " _ **Key word, yet."**_ Chara let our eyes glow ablaze. " _ **Fight him one more time and I will rain hell on you."**_

I could feel the numbness ease off as control came back. I fell on the ground feeling weak as ever. Sans's eye wouldn't stop glowing. "Which one of you am I talking to?" He asked.

I put my hands up. "Me, the real one." I clutched my soul in pain, finally feeling all the damage he inflicted on me. Chara was reckless. "W-What the hell was that about?"

Sans sighed, his eye disappearing. "Nothing, sorry about that." He extended a hand. I took it gladly hoping I would never have to fight him again. Papyrus had rushed over to me. He put a hand on my head, green resonating from it. All of my cuts and bruises from the battle started healing up slowly as my breathing steadied. He was obviously worried.

"L-Look Sans." I said finally at full HoPe. "Let's just forget that ever happened, okay?" I offered. "You had your reasons."

"yeah," His white pupils had reappeared. "let's just get on with this." He said giving me a thumbs up. He motioned for Alphys to carry on with what she was doing.

I shook my head trying to ignore how powerful Sans really was. "So, what'll it be this time then?" I asked, still visibly trembling.

He sighed, "how 'bout i teach you how to summon better attacking methods." He offered. I nodded in agreement as Papyrus stood back. _I wonder how powerful Papyrus can be…_ Sans flung his hand upward as I braced myself for what was coming. A blaster formed to his right waiting for a command. "this time, you need to use your base to form a more powerful object."

"I'll try…" I said uncertain. This wasn't very descriptive info. I focused on the dummy again, my soul appearing on my chest. I put my hand over my soul, golden fire erupting from it going to my left and right. It started turning into solid gold suspended in the air. A pattern was formed. Two wings were on either side of a central orb. Three triangles in different directions resided under it hovering like the rest of the strange device. The orb in the middle seemed to have a glowing red dot in the center waiting for a command. "Woah…" I said admiring my handiwork.

Sans seemed impressed and confused at the same time. "uh, that wasn't supposed to…" He remembered my soul and shook his head. "this is getting to be weird now." Alphys jotted down more notes as Papyrus watched leaning on the wall. "now, do like i did, and fire."

I tried to imitate Sans during the battle, but the machine did otherwise. It turned blue releasing a massive shockwave around the room. I heard Sans yell to stand still. I followed his directions as it phased right through me leaving a ghostly feeling in me. I tried again, this time orange beams shot from the center. I swiped my hand away cancelling the attack. Sans was sweating. Alphys and Papyrus had now joined each other in the room and were trying to figure out what was wrong. Sans motioned for me to try again. This time, the orb turned red releasing a beam of fire from the center. I sighed, "Was that good enough?"

"yep, we are done." He said throwing his hands in the air. "that was kinda weird."

Alphys opened the door with a clipboard this time. "O-Okay this is w-what I got. That looks like the delta rune first of all. S-Second, it can do a variety of attacks. Y-You j-just have to think about the o-one you want t-to do." Well that made more sense.

"well, i think that's good for now." He looked at me, "Kid, promise me one thing." His pupils disappeared. "Don't let that demon have control. There is no telling what they could do."

" _ **Stop calling me a demon Smiley Trashbag."**_ Sans glared at us. " _ **You really need to calm down a bit."**_ Chara casually said.

Sans sighed again. "yeah no, not when there is a murderer around."

" _ **I'm telling you Sans, I changed."**_

He seemed to be taken aback that his actual name was used. "fine, i will give you one shot. but if you lay one finger on anyone, you're REALLY not gonna like what happens next."

" _ **Yeah whatever… I'm gonna have a bad time right?"**_ Chara said nonchalantly.

"right you are." He grabbed our wrist as I got back into control. "welp, let's go get ready for tonight eh?" I nodded back preparing for the shortcut.

* * *

'So Chara can you please tell me what that was all about?' I asked waiting for Toriel and Frisk to show up. _Sans seemed in more haste than usual._

" _ **Look, Sans and I have a big hate for each other."**_ They responded annoyed.

I rolled my eyes. 'And how?'

" _ **I would rather not talk about it. It's just memories I want to forget."**_

'You're gazing past the fact that you said "I haven't killed anyone yet."' I crossed my arms.

" _ **It's too confusing. I'll show you later because NOW is not the time."**_

'Actually,' I said looking around. 'This is the perfect time.'

" _ **I'm doing a favor for Frisk by NOT telling you. So could you make this any easier on me and not do this?"**_

'Fine, but you're not off the hook yet.' I said as a knock was heard on the door.

"I'LL GET IT!" Papyrus yelled from the kitchen appearing a second later. He swung open the door with enthusiasm for serving his guests. _That's Papyrus._ "HELLO FRISK! HELLO ASGORE'S CLONE!"

I heard an internal laugh from Chara. Sans yelled from the kitchen as well, "she has a name y'know."

Toriel and Frisk both walked in. Flowey was nowhere to be seen, much to my disappointment. I had been itching to meet that plant for a while. Toriel _did_ have a pie with her. Maybe I could forgive them. Sans politely took the pie from Toriel and placed it on the table. Papyrus, Frisk, and I all exchanged knowing looks. Chara suddenly jolted with an, " _ **Oh hell naw."**_ I could feel them trying to take control as I tried to restrain them.

'I ship it.' I said.

This earned me a groan from Chara. " _ **You're just as bad as Frisk! Well, at least you don't flirt with everyone."**_

'Wait what now?' I said trying to suppress laughter. 'Frisk flirts?'

" _ **I don't wanna talk about it."**_ They sighed wanting to strangle something. " _ **They flirted with EVERY monster in the underground. Even mom."**_

'Oh my gosh what?'

" _ **Ugh, just focus okay? You can ask Frisk ALL about that."**_

I agreed focusing back into reality. I took one look at Frisk, and in response, had gun fingers pointed my way. My face went red as it was Chara's turn to laugh. Sans had noticed and was trying to contain himself. Papyrus was already laughing. Toriel gave Frisk the death stare as she said, "Frisk what did I tell you about flirting with strangers?"

"To do it." They signed in response. I could tell by that look Chara had something to do with that phrase. Toriel sighed.

She spotted me and gave a warm smile, "Well hello young one."

"Hi." I shyly waved back trying to push back the resurfacing memories of my earlier parents. It always happened when I was around Toriel.

"My name is Toriel, what's yours?" She asked extending a paw.

I accepted the handshake, "Bennett, nice to meet you."

"Well then, I assume Sans is treating you well?" She asked raising an eyebrow at the skeleton.

 _No._ "Yeah." I answered quickly before Chara could. "He's been fine."

Papyrus cut in, "WELL, I THINK SANS WOULD LIKE TO TALK TO YOU ASGORE CLONE!" He said giving a wink. Sans started sweating harder than ever. "I WILL WATCH THE TWO HUMANS FOR YOU!" He sped off in my direction without even getting an answer. I could feel Chara gripping for control wanting to strangle Sans.

I'm fairly sure Frisk was having the same problem. Papyrus had set down millions of handmade puzzles in the time I was thinking. I took one look at them and nearly fainted. There were so many. From word searches to a weird color tile puzzle, they were all on the table ready to go. I cast an uneasy glance at Frisk who noticed how much I was sweating. _I'm not good at puzzles._

We probably worked on them for an hour, not including the time he spent explaining the tile puzzle. It had so many rules and Frisk seemed to already have memorized them by heart. His puzzles always seemed to get me thinking, 'Why didn't I see that before?'. Frisk and I tried to act like we didn't know each other. We didn't really communicate to each other too much because be both remembered what happened with Chara. And, Toriel was around. That would be a bad idea.

Chara had gone completely silent through the whole thing. They didn't want to talk about anything or even make snarky comments. Maybe they just weren't interested. Toriel and Sans had been making many puns and just chatting non stop in the other room. Hell, Chara didn't even react to that. Papyrus eventually decided to mess with Sans and left the two of us alone to chat. _Perfect._

"So you're the one who I saw in the void?" They started signing.

I shoved my hands in my pocket with a, "Yes." We both paused before I mentioned Chara. "Have you heard anything from Chara lately?"

They crossed their arms, "No, I've been wondering the same thing too. Except for the flirting option they gave me." Frisk winked in my direction earning an annoyed expression.

"Never. Flirt. Again." I said eye almost lighting up. "So, any idea on what to do about my soul?" I asked.

"Well, no, have you gotten anything yet?" They signed clearly distressed. It was obviously weighing them down.

"I mean, Alphys and Sans are aware of it. They figured it out before I did by the looks of it." I said stroking my imaginary beard.

"Um, that's not good." They looked to the side. "Sans is not exactly 'in good terms' with Chara and Asriel."

"I noticed." I said glancing down at the many scars on my arm. Papyrus's healing wasn't perfect. "He sorta… figured out about Chara and attacked me…"

"Woah, wait he fought you?" They asked surprised.

"Yes, I never want to do that again."

Frisk almost looked sorry for me. Apparently they knew what Sans was capable of. "That makes this harder than it seems."

"Why is that?"

"Sans won't let us. He will try everything to stop us, because as I said before, he hates them both."

"But why would he hate Asriel?" I said arching a brow. "Asriel did nothing wrong, did he?"

Frisk sighed, "Asriel is still alive, just not the way we hoped." They noticed my confused expression and continued. "You've seen Flowey? Right?" I nodded. "Well, when Asriel died in the castle garden, his dust spread across the flowers. Later, Alphys injected a flower with determination and… Asriel became that, a soulless being who couldn't feel anything for anyone." _WELL THAT GOT DEPRESSING PRETTY FAST._

"So what does this have to do with Sans?" I asked.

"Well," They hesitated. "Flowey hurt Papyrus, Sans and Flowey remember it but Papyrus doesn't. Well, they fought over and over and Flowey did worse and worse things until I showed up. His target was focused to me and I decided to help him."

"Okay, that sounds like a Sans thing. But, does Sans know about Flowey being Asriel?"

Frisk sighed, "Yes."

"I have a bad feeling about this."

"Yeah me too." A silence passed between us. "Look, I'll tell you if Flowey says anything, but right now, we are stuck in square one."

Moments later, Toriel appeared from the kitchen seemingly wanting to talk to me. I was confused, but didn't want to be impolite so I did it anyways. _Not to mention Chara needed to stay away from Sans._ I was still convincing myself Chara was being quiet and waiting for an opportunity to take control and strangle him.

"So, how has everything been working out?" Toriel asked me. She literally towered over me.

"Well," I scratched the back of my head. "Everything has been going sorta well lately… I'm still trying to get into this whole monster thing."

"Ah," She laughed, "Some of us do look quite terrifying at times. We were lucky enough to make it this far."

"Yeah, not all humans are very kind." I said grimacing. "I learned that the hard way."

Toriel seemed more interested, but didn't butt in on the subject. "Well, I would say it wasn't right to lie about Asgore, but it got us this far." She smiled, "Sans told me about your whole story about lying, but not lying."

"Oh, I probably just got us into a lot of trouble for that." I said. Chara wasn't even trying to help me.

"Yes, well, I'm sure it will all be sorted out shortly. Neither side really wants to fight…" _I could tell she was avoiding something._ It was a very awkward moment to say the least. "Sans has told me a lot about you..." Here we go. Wait but Sans didn't even know about me being there at Asriel's death. He only knew about Chara. "And he also told me that you seem to have nowhere to go..."

"Uh..." I never liked when people mentioned that. "I-I'm sure I will figure it out at some point..."

"Hm..." She seemed deep on thought. "Well, if you ever need anything just call one of us. We would be happy to help."

Woman, you just met me. Calm down. "Thanks Toriel..."

She sighed, "Not to mention, Sans told me how much you enjoy puns."

 ** _"Dont..."_**

'My people need me Chara.' A grin tugged on my face. "I'm not too good at puns myself..."

 _ **"Wait what? I thought you were going to-"**_

"Well I guess I could give you a..." She paused for dramatic effect. "Tu-Toriel." She chuckled at her own pun. I tried to maintain myself but failed.

 _ **"YOU SET THAT ONE UP AND YOU KNOW IT!"**_ Chara yelled at me.

I heard a scream from Papyrus coming from the kitchen. I could have sworn I heard pans falling on the floor.

 _ **"This is even worse you know."**_

'What is?'

 ** _"Now mom will try to make puns with with you. And I get to listen."_**

'You don't have kind CHARActeristics."

 _ **"I WILL END YOU!"**_

Toriel called for Frisk as it was time to go. We all said our goodbyes but... something about that conversation was off. She knew something didn't she...

I helped Sans and Papyrus clean up everything before the highlight of the night happened. " _ **So Smiley Trashbag…"**_ Chara started talking. _I knew it._ " _ **How's it going with you and dating my mom?"**_

Beads of sweat started dripping down Sans's skull. "w-we aren't dating." He said looking anywhere else but us. "we're just friends."

" _ **Oh suuuuuure."**_ Chara said in a taunting manner. " _ **That's what they all say."**_ Both of our eyes ignited. " _ **I'm watching you Sans."**_ They said in a threatening tone.

His pupils darted everywhere around the room. "uh okay!" He said teleporting away to some unknown location.

We both laughed at his reaction for a good few minutes. 'W-Were you waiting for that the whole time?' I said still giggling.

" _ **Well no actually. I've been trying to find a way to extract the shard of Asriel's soul."**_ They said enthusiastically. " _ **I also have a way we can do it."**_

'Hit me.'

" _ **Sans, in his basement, has been building something. I'm not sure what it is, but it looks like a DT Extractor."**_

'What is a DT Extractor exactly?'

Chara sighed, " _ **It has only been used once. Or, the one in the underground has at least. It is used to extract the essence of a soul. We could try to take it from yours but…"**_ Chara paused. " _ **We need to get Toriel in on this."**_

'Wait Chara what? That's not a go-"

" _ **Look, Sans won't let us use it. But, if Toriel knew she would force Sans to let it happen. Because, Toriel would do anything to help Asriel."**_ They stated with confidence.

'Any flaws?' I asked crossing my arms.

" _ **Other than Sans trying to kill us, NOPE!"**_

I facepalmed, 'Chara we nearly died last time.'

" _ **Yeah, but he won't kill us. Toriel would NEVER forgive him."**_

'And Sans would never forgive us…' I mentioned. 'After everything he has done for me…'

" _ **I'm sure he won't be mad forever. Plus, we are trying to bring back Prince Asriel. AND HE DOESN'T KNOW IF HIS MACHINE COULD WORK!" Look,"**_ Chara toned down a bit. " _ **It's a win for everyone, okay?"**_

'Alright, tomorrow then?"

" _ **Yep, I'll get Frisk to tell Toriel. We got this."**_

 **By the way, I'm firing out these chapters because I'll be on vacation for two weeks soon.**

 **So, I'm trying to give you guys as much material as I can.**

 **Also, XWolf26, the maker of DoubleTale, (Check it out) once said, "An author needs reviews so they don't go insane." (Something close to that idk.) So yeah, it would be nice to have reviews :3 It motivates me.**

 **Also check out the spin off DoubleShift by Spencer the Gamer, He is also going insane for lack of reviews and needs some as well :D**

 **So please go check them out and leave a review, follow, and favorite!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: (Insert horrible name here)

"Mom?" Frisk called using their actual voice. "Mom, can I talk to you?" They walked down the dimly lit hallway looking for Toriel. Chara had told them the plan. Frisk couldn't bear to see their mom in so much pain. But, it was the best optional plan. Chara had explained the entirety of anything that could go wrong. Now, it relied on Frisk to put it into motion. "Mom?" They called again.

"Yes my child," Toriel answered from the other room. She emerged from the doorway embracing Frisk. "Why are you up so late my child? Was it another nightmare?"

"No…" Frisk went back to signing. They were never comfortable using their voice anyways. "It's about Bennett."

"What about him?" Toriel asked expression shifting. "Did he hurt you in a-"

"No, no, mom I'm fine." They reassured her. "Sans found something in his soul that he didn't want to tell you."

"Are you sure?" She asked confused, "Sans wouldn't hide anything from me, would he?"

"He just thought it would hurt you too much to know." Frisk signed losing composure. "Sans and Alphys both found a shard in his soul that belongs to someone else."

"And whose would that be?" She asked.

Frisk sighed getting a sick feeling in their stomach. They didn't want to see her reaction. "Asriel." They signed quickly. "It was Asriel's."

Toriel let out a sharp gasp covering her mouth. Tears started forming in the corners of her eyes. "W-What? How? That doesn't…" She was at a loss for words. "Why would Sans hide that from me?"

"He thought it would hurt you too much mom. He tried to keep it quiet until he knew how to extract it."

"W-Well can he?" She clasped her hands over Frisk's. "Please tell me!"

"It's a long stretch, but Sans has an extractor prototype that may work. But, it could also kill both Bennett and Asriel." Frisk signed trembling. _If this didn't work._ "And, Sans won't let us use it."

"Tell me what I must do!" Toriel said with a spark in her eyes. _Determination._

"We need Sans and Alphys's cooperation and it should work. But, you have to do that."

Toriel smiled, "Tomorrow we shall head off to the two. Now, I need to think about some things for a moment." Toriel said shutting the door behind her, leaving Frisk with their own thoughts.

* * *

"What did you DO?" Sans yelled, the surprise knocking me off the couch. "Tell me you brat, what the hell were you thinking?" His blue eye was blazing in my direction as I sat up.

"Sans I-"

"I'm NOT talking to you." He said with venom in his voice. "What did the demon do?"

" _ **Well howdy Sans!"**_ We waved tauntingly. " _ **So, I'm guessing you finally figured out the truth huh?"**_ We spat back.

"Oh, hell yeah I did." His grin turned almost maniacal. "So was it worth it? You don't even know this will work!" Our soul left our chest. I internally groaned, getting ready for another bad time.

" _ **I find it funny how you are denying Asriel a second chance Sans."**_ Gaster Blasters appeared behind the skeleton ready to fire on command. " _ **What did he ever do to you?"**_ They started charging a light blue beam. " _ **Go, fight me and kill Asriel. What will Toriel think of you then?"**_ Chara said with a puppy face.

"You're really sick." He said, Gaster Blasters still at his sides. "But, why do you do this? Why do you try to ruin any chance that is given to me huh?" He asked, grin disappearing. "IS THAT ALL YOU WANT?" The blasters fired.

I quickly took control flinging up my right arm, a sentinel materializing in the air. Its orb turned green creating a shield around us. The blasters didn't leave a scratch. I decided to take over from here. "Look Sans!" I said dismissing the sentinel. "If this works, you'll know if your machine works. If this works, you will bring back the son of Toriel. If this works, I will fix all the damage done. Please," I begged, "Just give it a shot."

His eye disappeared. His expression shifted to conflict. "Alright kid." He lowered his blasters. "You've got one shot. Make it good." He looked away from me, disappointed. _After everything he did for me, I betrayed him._

I looked out the window seeing a van pull up to the house. _No holding back anymore._ I expected Frisk and Toriel to step out, but I was corrected. Frisk had Flowey with them. Toriel stepped out of the driver door. Asgore had taken up the whole two middle seats. Behind him, came Undyne and Alphys. _The whole party, yay._

Papyrus came charging from his bedroom yelling, "SANS! WHY IS EVERYONE VISITING? I DON'T REMEMBER HOSTING A PARTY!" When Papyrus didn't get a response he turned to me for an answer.

"We are doing something with my soul. Don't worry, I'll be fine." I said getting to the point. Most people always lied to Papyrus thinking he was too naive. Hell, Papyrus was smarter than Sans to an extent.

"AH, VERY WELL HUMAN. I SHALL JOIN YOU ALL THEN!" He said striking a dramatic pose. _Papyrus just is goofy, not naive._ The doorbell rang prompting Papyrus to open it with haste.

There were no cheery, "Hello's" or anything. Everyone stepped in silently immediately focusing on me. Of course, I contained a shard of their prince. Toriel, however, had a stern expression and her eyes darted around looking for Sans. Asgore seemed fine at least. Alphys held a glass heart shaped figure in her right hand, secured. Frisk held Flowey who was shaking back and forth in his pot. Undyne just seemed uneasy.

Sans finally emerged from the basement. He got Toriel's signature death stare. If looks could kill, Sans would have been dusted. Alphys spoke up first to avoid any unwanted tension, "S-Sans I c-created a container t-to make the shard e-enough to make a s-soul." She stuttered showing the soul shaped container.

Sans nodded quietly, his normal grin gone. His pupils even were lifeless. "Ok." He said motioning us to the underground basement. It turned out to be a huge laboratory when the lights flickered on. There were stacks of papers everywhere. Cameras were positioned in various places. But, on the other side of the room sat what we were looking for, the DT Extractor.

The machine looked like a skull to be honest. Almost like a Gaster Blaster, but with more edges. Also there were tubes, which jutted out towards walls and met up in one central console. The machine opened up revealing a chair that I was to lean back in. Fear overtook my mind at this point as I was lead closer and closer.

I felt a hand on my shoulder which belonged to Toriel. She seemed proud of me. "Whatever happens, I want you to know that you are very brave for what you are doing." She said smiling. I returned it only to have Asgore chime in.

"No matter what, you have to stay determined. And, if you don't make it, thank you for everything." He said before looking back up.

Undyne patted me on the back, "C'mon punk! Is a little machine gonna stop you? I didn't think so!" She said with a wide toothy grin.

Alphys started stuttering, "W-Well, it will be d-difficult in there, but I-I'm sure you can do it!"

"HUMAN!" Papyrus yelled. "JUST DO WHAT I WOULD DO!"

"And what's that?" I asked cocking my head to the side.

"BELIEVE IN YOU!" He said as Undyne facepalmed.

Frisk tugged on my sleeve trying to get my attention. I looked down seeing them really worried. "I-I'm scared about this now." _Too late to turn back Frisk._ "W-What if it f-fails and-"

"I won't fail Frisk." I said left eye beginning to glow. "Remember who I have with me." Frisk nodded in understanding as we finally stopped. Sans stood next to the activation panel ready to go. There was one thing I needed to do before I got in. "Sans…" I said shuffling my feet.

"Yeah, what is it?" He said avoiding my gaze.

I hopped in the machine to avoid wasting more time. "Thanks for everything you've done for me. I'm sorry if I ruined everything but…" Sans flipped the lever, machine activating with it. "At least I'm gonna die doing something to repay you right?"

Sans's eyes widened at those words. He tried to stop the DT Extractor from moving any longer, but it was too late. "Kid no! You're not dying yet!" He said desperately.

"Bye Sans…" I said. The world around me started distorting. It turned from a solid red, to white, then pitch black. "And thank you for everything…"

 **Eee hee hee**

 **Boy do I LOVE cliffhangers**

 **Next Chapter, being chapter 10, will be fairly interesting and... rather sad.**

 **Please favorite, follow, and review!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	10. Chapter 10

**WARNING: Character death ahead. And feels ;-;**

Chapter 10: Your Best Friend

I hit solid ground, flinching at the piercing cold. The darkness around me consumed everything. I couldn't see anyone in sight. "H-Help." I cried out through the endless void. I looked down at my arm. My eyes widened seeing what I looked like. My body seemed translucent almost. It seemed I was just made out of different colors of light.

" _ **Hey?"**_ Chara said kneeling down next to me. I was relieved they had found me. " _ **You're going to be okay, alright?"**_ I nodded shakily as they grabbed me by my arms and pulled me to my feet. I dusted off my clothes, noticing how weird light dust looks. " _ **You good?"**_ They asked.

"Y-Yeah, I think so." I looked around the void. "So, any idea on what we are supposed to do?"

" _ **We wait for them to place Flowey in the machine. He should show up but… there are going to be side effects."**_

"What do you mean?"

" _ **Flowey and Asriel are the same person, but two different entities. His Flowey side wants to stay soulless while his Asriel side wants a soul. So, The Flowey side will most likely try to prevent us from succeeding."**_

"Well that's fun…" I said crossing my arms.

"Howdy!" A voice from behind us said. "It's me, Flowey, Flowey the Flower." It continued. We both whirled around spotting the buttercup. His body was made of light as well. "I owe you both a huge thanks."

" _ **Flowey, get the hell out of here. It's over."**_ Chara said with a sadistic grin.

"Ohohoho, that's what you think Chara." He said with an evil smirk. We both took a step forward ready for what Flowey would throw at us. "So eager to die are we?" He asked bobbing back and forth like a weird tune was playing. "Well then, I have a nice surprise for you both that you will just LOVE. Hehe." I noticed his pun.

"Flowey, that was _PUNwanted_ my friend. Maybe you should keep those _tulips_ shut or I will have to _petal_ on out of here." I shrugged shoving my hands into my pockets. "What's UP BUTTERCUP!" I said trying to keep a straight face.

Flowey groaned, rolling his eyes. "Let's just get to the point so you can SHUT UP!" He screamed.

Both Chara's and my eyes widened. Six floating souls appeared above Flowey's head. He stuck his tounge out in amusement. "Aw, when we all left the underground, everyone just assumed they disappeared. They were left here in the void for the taking." The souls started circling Flowey, shining brighter. "You will never understand." They started inching closer. "In this world, it's kill or be killed." He let out a blood curdling laugh before we were enveloped in a white light.

Both of our souls flashed three times before staying on our chest. Chara's had taken a similar form to mine, but with darkness filling in the gaps. We took glances at each other before looking in front of us. A silhouette was moving towards us slowly. "What the hell is that?" I said.

Chara seemed dazed, " _ **Good question, RUN."**_ We both bolted in the opposite direction. Vines shot up trapping us with whatever that THING was. " _ **Dammit…"**_

"Chara, we have one option." I said facing the abomination. "Let's do this."

A screen near the top of the beast lit up revealing Flowey's face. His eyes split apart as his demonic grin widened. The void lit up Flowey revealing exactly what we did NOT want to see. Vines shot out to the ceiling, keeping Flowey suspended. A large toothed snout extended outwards ready to bite any second. Flowey seemed positioned on a machine similar to the DT Extractor. Giant clawed arms reached out trapping us with him. The beast let out a bone chilling laugh as it saw our shock.

*File three loaded.

"What?" I said seeing the words.

" _ **Get ready to dodge, block, whatever!"**_ Chara yelled from the left side. " _ **Do whatever you can to survive."**_

 **Song: Undertale Finale Dual Mix - By iwannabethecollector**

"Oh crap." I said. Ninja star projectiles came soaring my way. Chara started weaving in and out with unfathomable speed. I threw my arms upward in an X formation as a sentinel burst through the ground blocking the blows. The orb turned blue launching a shockwave outwards, destroying all of the stars.

Flowey seemed unfazed.

-1

*You feel as if you're losing your mind.

Flamethrowers appeared on my right. I shot my own golden flames, challenging Flowey's. His fire cut right through mind sending me hurdling backwards. It left a small burn on my arm.

25/28 HP

Chara rolled under the fire slashing a dagger. The red slashes hovered in mid-air before coming to life and blasting towards Flowey. They made a crashing sound, but left Flowey unscathed.

-4

I looked up at the ceiling regretting all my life choices. Nukes started bombing down on us. I waved for Chara to get near me as they started falling. A sentinel appeared over my head, orb turning green. A dome appeared over us stopping all the blows from hitting. Flowey seemed annoyed, only to buy us time to attack. Another sentinel appeared joining the other one as fire shot out of both.

-28

*Fire types are effective against grass types…

 _Curse my pokemon skills._ Weird circles with faces shot out from the television. They honed in on us trying to land a hit. We were too fast gaining another loss on Flowey. Chara drew the slashes again as I added fire to them. They rocketed forward, only earning a mocking, "Ow." from Flowey.

-36

Chara stopped suddenly. " _ **Wait this is the part where…"**_

Flowey laughed, "What? You thought the souls would help you? How pathetic. We aren't in YOUR world anymore. We are in the void. They are under my full control now. No one can intervene now." Vines shot upward narrowly missing us. One came back downward clipping me on the face.

23/28 HP

Chara was not so lucky and had on smack them right in the stomach. They groaned but got back up ready to fight.

89/99 HP

Fire swirled around my body in a spiral. I flung my hands upwards at it flew higher aiming itself at Flowey. The beast blocked it with its arm only for the fire to still do damage.

-50

Flowey's snout opened up charging a beam. It was headed straight for me. I summoned in my two sentinels. Both orbs turned red. My hands ignited with fire as the sentinels shot their own flames with me. The fire connected with the light holding it at bay. I started to sweat. Both of my eyes began shining brighter and brighter. I yelled using all my strength to push it back at Flowey.

-100

"Now we're in business." I said letting out a whoop.

It was short lived as fingers pointed our way shooting deformed flowers. I shot fireballs to dissipate the speeding object as Chara slashed away at them. One stray object flew right into my chest gaining a yelp and breaking my focus.

18/28 HP

I clenched my teeth as bullets surrounded Chara and I. Chara weaved in and out as I snapped a sentinel under me. Its wings went to its sides as I stood on the orb. I was lifted into the air. I thrust my arm towards Flowey and sped off towards the screen. Flowey seemed a bit shocked but prepared for impact.

I jumped into the air materializing a blade of pure fire in my hand. It stabbed through the glass of Flowey's screen. He let out a roar, the vibration knocking me off. I did a backwards somersault, landing on my feet just on time.

-150

A vine sneakily weaved its way to my side and hurled me across the void. I gasped for breath as it had been knocked out of me.

12/28 HP

I looked over to where Chara was fighting. Vines shot out of the ground encasing them in the air. Flowey's face shifted to one of fake pity. "Awww, look at what I caught." Chara started slashing away at the vines. _It did nothing._ "Asriel would have LOVED this." He let out a laugh.

I stumbled to my feet charging up an attack. Flowey noticed and surrounded me in vines as well. I tried to burn them out of the way, but they only closed in tighter. "We can't have any interruptions now can we Chara?" He asked a rhetorical question.

His gaze turned back on my friend, trapped in vines. "Chara, was it you who told us to fight back?"

" _ **Shut it you weed!"**_ Chara spat. " _ **Give me back my brother."**_

"But I am your brother." Flowey chuckled. "The REAL him. And I think, the real Asriel wants a bit of revenge eh?" Chara's eyes widened in shock. One single sharp vine rose into the air pointing straight into Chara's chest. _Flowey was going to kill Chara._

Chara forcefully faced me. " _ **No matter what happens, you save Asriel. Got that?"**_ Chara yelled to me. " _ **And Bennett."**_ A tear fell. " _ **Thank you for always being there for me."**_

Chara let out a yell. The yell of someone in eternal pain. They gasped for breath before being stabbed right through their soul again with the vine. They released my friend's lifeless corpse as it fell to the ground. Chara's soul lifted from their chest, trembling. A crack formed through the mid point before the soul broke into two. More cracks formed turning it to only dust. _Chara was gone._

Flowey laughed as my sadness turned to pure hatred. He tangled me up as well, preparing me for the same fate as Chara. I was hoisted up to eye level where I was trying to keep from crying in front of the demon that killed my friend. "Aw, what's wrong?" He asked faking a concerned face. "Sad that I murdered Chara with no remorse?"

My eyes started shining. "I don't know what you are. I don't know why you even had a chance to come to this world. I don't know how, I don't know when, but I WILL kill you." I didn't notice my soul shining as well.

"Shall I prove you wrong." He raised the vine as I remained defiant. He seemed a bit shocked that I wasn't even scared of death. "Hm, maybe we should give you a little something more… _breathtaking._ " _Nasty pun you six eyed demon._

*File 2 loaded

Vines shot through my soul. I let out a yell as it cracked open nearly shattering.

*File 1 loaded

A beam struck me head on. I didn't even have time to block it. My soul cracked again splitting into two.

*File 3 loaded

I couldn't even think fast enough.

*File 4 loaded

What?

*File 6 loaded

…

*File 5 loaded

The cycle finally stopped as I stood with one HoPe left. Flowey surrounded me with bullets. There was no escape. He even blocked the up route. I fell to the ground with a yell. It was too painful to move.

"Hee hee hee." Flowey laughed. "Did you really think you ever had a chance. Golly, your useless friends, can't save you now." I tried to find an opening, but couldn't see one. I couldn't even stand. "Call for help, I dare you." His voice changed to a faked pleading. "Mommy, Daddy, Somebody help me! Oh wait…" He looked at me smiling with glee. "You don't have any family." He started laughing as the bullets slowly closed in on me. Closer… closer… The bullets pierced through my body draining my last HoPe of surviving.

*...

*Yet…

*Ha… Ha…

* **You idiot**

" **B_U_T_H_E_R_E_F_U_S_E_D**

Flowey's expression turned to one of pure terror. " **I came here to bring Asriel home… but now?"** I flew into the air, shadows covering my eyes. My hood was pulled over my head. " **I'm only here to kill you."**

I lifted my hand in the air, fire lighting up the void. " **I will show you the true meaning of this hell."** All of the small orbs of fire collided with Flowey as he left out a yell of pain.

 **-1000**

My determination was growing stronger. I charged at him kicking him backwards across the void. _I shouldn't have had this kind of strength. But hey, determination is one hell of a drug._ He got up trying to launch an attack, only to realize his mistake. My sentinels switched to blue firing pulse after pulse of blue magic. I was pissed.

 **-10000**

His many eyes widened as I came crashing into him with a sentinel. I leapt up into the air sending flames in all directions.

*You're filled with Patience

Blue knives materialized by my sides. Flowey loaded files again trying to trap me. I threw a knife at the load button, causing it to not be able to move.

*You're filled with bravery

Flowey tried to rain bombs on me again. Orange gloves appeared over my hands. I struck faster and faster, sending the bombs spiraling off. One nailed Flowey on his snout.

 **-20000**

 ***** You're filled with integrity

Bullets came flying at me from all directions. My soul turned blue as I fell to the ground, feet first. I ran faster and faster, dodging through bullets leaving a blue streak behind. I sliced with my blade at a single one and it zoomed off towards Flowey, hitting him on his screen.

 **-30000**

*You're filled with perseverance

A small notebook appeared in my hand glowing purple. Vines shot out at me from all directions trying to stab me through the soul. The book hovered above my palm before a word floated above the page. **Retribution.** Purple liquid shot towards Flowey's vines causing him to yell in pain. The color spread all the way up to him before he detached them.

 **-40000**

*You're filled with kindness

Flowey charged his beam of light, trapping me with flamethrowers in the center. I smirked at the new challenge. A green frying pan shot up through the ground as I snatched it, preparing myself. Flowey fired as I reflected the beam with the pan. He stopped a moment seeming confused. He fired again, only to get blasted with his own beam.

 **-50000**

*You're filled with justice

A yellow gun swung around my finger before I grabbed it into place. Seeing that Flowey was trying to gain extra time to catch his breath, I fired the gun at his screen. It cracked once, twice, before completely shattering, leaving the face vulnerable.

*You're filled with DETERMINATION

My soul started glowing with intensity. My shadow briefly appeared beside me showing a grin that could terrify the bravest of people.

=D

Chara's dagger zoomed towards my hand, glowing red. Both of my eyes lit up as I launched towards the exposed weak point. I stabbed downward right in one of his eyes causing him to fall to the ground, off of his suspensions.

 **-9999999999999999**

The void had gone quiet. No sounds existed. There was only me, and a wilted Flowey. Me and him, the only things that mattered anymore.

 **Fight Mercy**

My body was at its full height. Both of my eyes shone with the determination of everyone. " **Bye Flowey."** I slashed at the Flower with Chara's dagger, not thinking about anything else.

 **-99999**

 **-99999**

 **-99999**

 **-99999**

 **-99999**

I slabbed him over and over making sure no part of his body was left unscathed. Then, there was nothing left except for me in the void, alone.

*Your LOVE has increased.

" **Heh… just like that Chara."** I turned around towards my dead friend. " **I lost you again…"** I shut my eyes waiting for my body to dissolve back into reality.

 **Now I will be honest here**

 ***Clears throat* I NEARLY CRIED WRITING THIS!**

 ***Cowers in corner* They were manly tears, k?**

 **Alright, all jokes aside, I think this was an interesting twist :3**

 **Oh and guys, the story is FAR from over so don't worry**

 **Please favorite, follow, and review**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 out**


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Fractured

"Hey? What are you doing out here so late?"

"..."

"Still not going to answer me? You've been out here for nearly a week. What's wrong?"

"Have you ever thought of a world, where everything is perfect, but you don't exist?"

"What are y-"

"Do you believe even the worst person can change if they just try?"

"..."

"Do you still call me your child?"

"I-"

"Don't even answer. I don't want to hear those excuses of 'Oh we still love you.' You've fed me enough with those lies."

"We are worried about you. Ple-"

"Are you really? No. You just don't want anyone to think of me as a psychopath. And you don't want me to ruin your whole damn reputation."

"Listen to me!"

"I'm not just some pawn in your game you know. I won't let you use me like I'm some tool anymore."

"You've changed ever since that _thing_ came and attacked us."

"Attacked? It never laid a finger on anyone. Yet you struck it down with no remorse. You people, murder someone who is innocent and you are perfectly fine. I murder someone who is trying to kill another and I'm dubbed a murderer."

"..."

"I thought so. Let me ask you again, Do you believe even the worst person can change, if they just try?"

"I-I don't know?"

"Heheheh, **I don't."**

* * *

"C'mon kid! Stay with us."

"My child we all need you to wake up."

"HUMAN, WE ARE WORRIED, PLEASE WAKE UP."

"Hey punk, you're scaring us. Please come back."

"T-this s-shouldn't be happening. Y-You can do it."

"For the sake of all of us you have to stay determined."

"I shouldn't have made you go alone… I-I'm sorry. We all are."

"I-I understand if you can't forgive me but… don't do this to us."

I forced my eyes to barely open upon hearing voices. Everyone was standing over me with worried expressions. I could barely make out an unknown figure in the group but dismissed it. The pain all over me was unbearable. It felt like fire spreading through my body.

"He's awake!" I heard Toriel yell triumphantly. _I should have been happy that I was with them again, but that was taken away._ Green magic started radiating from Toriel's hand as I felt the pain ease off.

Sans relaxed seeing me moving again. His normal grin had disappeared however which was very uncommon. "Never to that to us again kid. That was not okay." _Why did I have to be so stupid._

Frisk started to get worried again. I wasn't responding to anything. "A-Are you okay?"

 _So why couldn't I…_ "Something isn't right…" Undyne mumbled.

 _Feel…_ Sans yelled for everyone to get back. _Anything…_

"Kid are you okay?" He started shaking me back and forth. "Listen to me!" His eye flared blue as he checked my stats again. His pupils disappeared at what he saw.

Bennett: LV 5 10 ATK 6 DEF 36/36 HP

*No wonder he looks so broken…

It wasn't mainly the fact that my LV had risen that made Sans flinch. It was the lack of Chara's stats. As much as Sans hated Chara, he felt genuinely sorry for me. Sans sighed, "I need Alphys, Undyne, and Papyrus to leave."

"And why would we do that?" Undyne huffed breaking the tension in the air.

"Undyne, I need to talk to them about something that _you shouldn't know about."_ His voice became hostile at the end.

Undyne stood firm not even glancing at the door. "Whatever you have to say you can say it in front of us." She quickly snatched Alphys who was about to turn for the door. "All of us."

"BROTHER, WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO SAY PLEASE TELL US."

"This doesn't concern you two just leave. I really don't wanna use magic on you." His blue eye started to flare up.

"Fine, but you BETTER tell us after this!" Undyne yelled in anger storming out the door pulling Papyrus and Alphys. Undyne make up your mind for crying out loud. You're gonna dust Alphys before this is over with.

Everyone stood staring at the door as the other two left leaving us with the remaining monsters. "Well that went well…" Asgore said in a joking manner, earning him a death stare from Toriel.

"So Sans, why have you told us to stay?" Toriel asked with her hand on a new monster I vaguely recognized.

"I don't know if you guys are ready for this…" Sans sighed. He took a glance at the two boss monsters and seemingly had to tell them. "Well, here goes nothing. This whole time Bennett has been interacting with someone who is dead."

Toriel seemed to be processing the information. Her face shifted to a scowl at the skeleton. "Sans if this is a joke I-"

"It's not a joke Tori." He said with his pupils gone. "Yes, he had been interacting with Chara. Your Chara."

"But why didn't you tell us?" Asgore asked, his voice becoming more hostile. "Why would you hide that kind of thing from us?"

Sans didn't even flinch under the king's gaze. "We didn't tell you because Chara was not exactly on good terms with any of us."

"But, Chara was a kind soul. They died of illness."

Sans sighed, "Chara killed themself. Hell, ask Asriel." Sans motioned to the smaller monster. _So that's how I knew him._

"My child please tell me that isn't true." Toriel pleaded.

Asriel stood still trying to keep himself together. "Chara did kill themself with buttercups. We had a plan to take six human souls to break the barrier. Chara urged me to fight back but I resisted. T-That's how I…" He looked at me and quieted down a bit. "And I saw him there too. Chara had told me to spare him. It was… strange." The small monster was now in tears. "I was so stupid."

"Asriel please, it's over now." Toriel hugged her son trying to comfort him. _I didn't remember what that was like._ Toriel looked up at me with hope. "Can we talk to Chara?" She asked.

My heart wrenched. I had been containing myself fairly well for someone who watched their friend get torn to pieces. Frisk noticed and cut it. "I don't think he can do that anymore…"

"W-What do you mean?" Toriel started stuttering. She knew what was going on but didn't want to accept it.

Sans mumbled the words, "Chara is gone for good this time."

My eyes started to glow. _All because of that weed who Chara and I tried to save._ " **Chara trusted you."** I said with a muffled voice. " **Then you murder them with no remorse."**

"Asriel what is he talking about?" Toriel asked, worried.

"W-When he c-came into the void to save me C-Chara helped him out. F-Flowey tried to stop them and… I killed Chara." Asriel started sobbing. "I didn't mean for this to happen. I wish I could just take it all back."

All intentions I had to hurt Asriel crumbled. It wasn't his fault. I knew if he could he would change what he did. But, that didn't change that **you can't bring back the dead.**

Toriel and Asgore had frozen stiff, hands clasped over their snouts. No one moved or spoke. The tension could be cut with a knife. "I-Is there anything we can do?" Toriel asked still trying to find a way to talk to Chara again. "There has to be something."

Sans's silence crushed the last of Toriel's hopes. She broke down in tears as Asgore tried to comfort her. Frisk was trying to help Asriel through this. The young prince wasn't taking it easy on himself. No one was.

* * *

"Well that went worse than expected."

"At least my project paid off. Hopefully someday it will help me as well."

"Although, I can't help but feel sorry for them."

"All the hell I just put them through…"

"..."

"Oh no I'm destabilizing again."

"I guess I looked at the timeline too long."

"*Sigh* What have I done to these people."

 **I will be honest this was a horribly written chapter**

 **After the last chapter and the positive reviews I got from it, I didn't wanna screw up but WHOOP DE FRIGGIN DOO**

 **Oh well, I will improve again.**

 **Oh and I will be on vacation for the next two weeks!**

 **Viewers: So that means you won't update?**

 **Me: Wrong! I won't be able to update quickly but I can still update! Trust me I LOVE writing this story. No not that LOVE, that love. Bejesus.**

 **Anyways please favorite follow and review**

 _Sans: You still have no cover art_

 _Me: Shut it Sans I'm trying to close a chapter_

 _Sans: But wouldn't it be wise to maybe ask if anyone is interested in making cover art?_

 _Me... Not a bad Idea Sans._

 **I already have one person trying to make some cover art but I would love to also see other submissions. PM me if you need info or anything**

 **This turned into an info chapter...**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: You Can't Give Up

What was supposed to be a heartfelt reunion was turned into a hellish nightmare for everyone. Asriel wouldn't stop crying about what he did. _He can't change it. Why not actually amend for it?_ Toriel and Asgore were in udder shock. Nothing seemed right anymore.

Toriel had bombarded me with questions about Chara. From how she was to how we met. I bluntly refused to answer after the first three knowing she would just ask more. _This lady is persistent._

Sans had disappeared into his lab and never came out. He probably was still angry about the whole Chara betraying him thing. Which was complete bullcrap being that Chara gave their life to save Asriel.

Papyrus was worried about his brother. He was the only one who didn't annoy the hell out of me. He was concerned about everyone if anything. His normal goofy attitude had disappeared leaving everyone downtrodden.

Undyne literally was fuming. As if Sans not telling them about the whole void thing was bad enough, now I wouldn't tell her. She felt betrayed to say the least. I didn't want to talk to them yet most of the monsters wouldn't leave me alone. Alphys just stayed out of the whole thing altogether.

Asgore was furious at Sans for hiding it. He would have been angry at Frisk, but after everything the human had done for him, he couldn't. As for me, well, Toriel wouldn't let the king even get near me. I would have thanked Toriel, but my better judgement was clouded by depression.

Frisk had kept Asriel as far from me as possible. He wanted to say he was sorry and somehow make up for it, yet Frisk wouldn't let him. The other human was a wild card in this. They seemed like they missed Chara… but then again… _they also seemed relieved._ I had noticed the same thing with Sans.

I shook it off continuing to tell myself everything would be fine. Everything could still turn out alright. I just had to keep trying. Or as Asgore and Frisk would put it, stay determined. Well, my determination shattered the next day.

I couldn't believe it. I had pushed the thought back but I couldn't freaking process what I had just heard. I honestly wished I hadn't eavesdropped. They had said EXACTLY what I had been dreading. _They. Were. RELIEVED._

I noticed the normal blue flash coming from Sans's lab when he teleports. But, normally he would just walk up the stairs to do whatever he needed. But, he tried to keep quiet by teleporting. So, of course, I knew something was up.

I listened through the door as I heard Sans and Frisk talking. _More like just Sans because Frisk used sign language again._ But, what I heard was enough. Sans had deliberately said that now there was more peace without Chara around. _How could he say that?_ Chara wanted to change and he didn't accept that last wish.

I swiftly turned around not even caring about being silent anymore. I was done. I thought things were finally looking up when the monsters took me in. Now, Chara was dead and they didn't CARE. I opened the front door slamming it behind me. My left eye only started glowing with intensity. _This was weird. Normally when I'm angry they both…_

WHO CARES? I kept walking which slowly turned to a sprint. I had no clue where I was going. _Anywhere but this hell._ No one had even noticed I had gone. I didn't even notice I was _crying._ My vision started blurring as I kept running, faster and faster.

" _Call for help I dare you."_

" _Do you still call me your child?"_

" _But, between you and me, I thing you've grown attached to us monsters."_

" _Thank you for always being there for me."_

" _I'm only here to kill you."_

" _Kid no! You're not dying yet!"_

" _It was a Team effort, right Chara?"_

" _Promise me, Promise me you will do whatever you can."_

" _Do you believe even the worst person can change if they just try?"_

" _You know more than you let on don't you?"_

" _But he refused."_

I fell to the damp ground. My face was stained with lines left by tears as I struggled to keep going. Did anything matter anymore? "Why didn't I just end this when I had the chance…" I yelled at myself.

I laid there for hours. I couldn't think anymore. I didn't _want_ to feel. _I just wanted to die._ Monsters were no different from humans. We all hate each other. No one cares about anyone else. It's all just a lie.

I jolted at a loud clap of thunder coming from around me. "Great, a storm JUST when I need it." I mumbled. I scanned the area where I was. Then the realization hit me. _Why am I on Mt. Ebott?_ "Okay, so you weren't paying attention to where you were walking, and now you're on a death mountain." I sighed, "Good job brain."

Lightning struck nearby as the wind speed picked up. There was no use in staying out there. I spotted a cave near the top of the mountain where it perfectly blocked out rain. _That would have to do for now._

I entered the cave immediately feeling intense cold. "How does the temperature change in here this fast?" I complained. My jacket wasn't helping either. At this point it was nothing more than a shredded piece of cloth.

The thunder clapped again as I inched further into a cave. I've never been one for storms. _Because storms are associated with something_ _I'd rather forget._ I shivered as the water still dripped down my body. "Well this is just GREAT." I said in annoyance. It was getting even colder.

With a sigh I turned away from the opening of the cave. I froze as I saw a large gaping hole near the back. My mind was at war. I had refused to do it before but… Look at where that had gotten me. _Now or never…_ I hesitated before walking over to where the hole dipped under the earth. My eye caught a vine across my path threatening to trip non observant people. I casually stepped over it. I turned around facing the light one last time. I spread my arms out wide before falling backwards into the abyss below.

Darker

Darker

Yet Darker

The Darkness keeps growing

The shadows cutting deeper

Photon readings negative

This experiment seems, very very interesting.

What do you two think?

I braced for impact as the air grew even colder around me. "This is where I die… huh…" I could see the bottom of the pit. "But what happens when I…" My eyes widened. This isn't what was right. Why was I so stupid. "I don't want to die!" I yelled. My hand was engulfed in red as it grabbed my soul. "I want to continue." I flung my hand upward trying to slow the descent.

I landed with a loud thud. Something snapped near my leg as I yelled out in pain. I definitely broke something. I whimpered as I tried to push myself up off the ground. How was I even alive? Sure pulling up on my soul helped but… I looked up above from where I had fallen. That is at least a 100 ft drop. And considering I fell on a flower bed, how would that have helped? There was only one way to go unless I tried going up. But, I didn't think I had the strength to make a sentinel.

This room gave me shivers anyways. Something just felt odd. I felt like I was not welcome here. There was only one other way to go. I tried to take a step forward, however my leg gave away as soon as weight was put on it. That wasn't going to work.

"Maybe I could make something with my magic…" I thought to myself. My soul pulsed as my left eye started glowing. _Still didn't understand what happened to my right._ I started to try to create something but was stopped short. My magic snapped sending a red shockwave throughout the room. _It was getting unstable again._

Well that wasn't going to work either. Limping it is! I had to limit magic usage and use the wall as support. The next room was simply a small patch of grass with a door near the end. A symbol resided near the top which looked like one of my sentinels. I assumed it was the delta rune because of what Alphys had said before. That was when everything was simple and no one was getting hurt.

I sadly chuckled as my breath hitched. Looks like Toriel didn't finish healing me all the way. Nah, probably the fall. If only my magic would just work properly. The dark room lit up as I came to a purple and pink hallway. There were leaves and a stairway up ahead. "This is going to be fun walking up stairs with one leg!" I sarcastically yelled.

My eye caught on something odd. In the leaf pile was something shining. It seemed out of place as if not from reality. It seemed to be getting brighter the closer I got. I gathered enough courage to actually touch the strange thing. It started rumbling as beams of light fired out from the center and up my arm. I tried to pull away, but something kept me there.

*The shadow of the Ruins looms above you, it fills you with DETERMINATION

The star finally let me pull away. My golden eye had finally decided to show itself again. It was flickering, but it tried to remain active. I blinked as it went to normal, losing the flame. But that was weird. What ever was that thing and- WOAH MY LEG IS NO LONGER BROKEN. I could walk perfectly now.

And according to that star thing or whatever that was, this was the Ruins. That meant I had to be in the underground. I was ready to tackle whatever this place had for me until I remembered one small detail. _Chara said they were buried down here._

"Sorry Chara…" I whispered. "Looks like I couldn't save everyone."

* * *

"So it seems project S-3 was a success…"

"It has fulfilled its purpose and can now even tap into its determination."

A chuckle sounded, "Maybe this timeline has hope after all…"

"..."

A sly grin spread across the figure's face, "This project will be interesting. I wonder..."

 **Next chapter will cover the monster's perspective during this as well as the OC's**

 **I should have one more chapter coming out before I head off to Florida.**

 **Chapters won't come out as fast but they will still come out in the time**

 **Oh and thank you all new followers to the story! I hope you enjoy your time because I hate to disappoint.**

 **Please favorite follow and review**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"What do you mean he is gone?" Toriel yelled through the phone. "How did… Sans are you being serious?"

The skeleton was shortcutting everywhere looking desperately for me. "Yes I am serious Tori. I'm normally laid back but not right now."

"Well do you have any idea on where he went?" Toriel asked. "Why did he disappear."

"Listen, Tori, call everyone. We need to stop him before he does something he will regret." A loud clap of thunder was heard. The phone was losing signal. Sans cursed the human cellular system and teleported again. _They didn't have much time._

* * *

I walked through an archway leading to another room. The door further ahead was closed blocking my way. I tried to force it open but with no success. My eye caught on buttons just sitting there on the floor. My love for puzzles took over as I immediately understood what this was. But which buttons do I press?

I searched around for a clue. There was a stone plaque on the wall. "Only the fearless may proceed. Brave ones, foolish ones, both not walk the middle road…" I read aloud. I looked back to the buttons and immediately saw the solution.

*You feel as if your Legend of Zelda fanboy side has returned

I cursed my nerd side for the second time in the week. I thought, "Maybe this would be a good time to see if my magic is working again…" I raised my hand upward feeling both eyes ignite. My right was dimmed. I slammed my hand downward focusing on the correct four buttons. Gold fire rained down on them. These flames seemed more intense than usual. The door swung open. I was proud of myself for solving a simple puzzle. _Wow._

I walked through the door and noticed more switches. I would have read the plaque on the wall if I didn't see labels on the switches. That was odd. I flipped two switches as spikes retracted from the other side of the room. Easy enough.

* * *

The monsters, along with Frisk, sat in Sans's living room. Everyone was fidgeting uncomfortably. "Alright, so as you all know." Toriel began, "Bennett has gone missing. We don't know why he left, but Sans says we have to find him before…" She trailed off.

"NGAH! I KNEW I SHOULDN'T HAVE LEFT THAT PUNK OUT OF MY SIGHT." Undyne yelled shaking a spear in the air. The fish woman had put on her armor before coming. She was ready for anything. "So do we have a clue where he is?" She said, quieter than before.

"Well no," Toriel answered. "That's where we need all of you to come in."

"Uh Tori… I kinda have a way to know the general location where he is." Sans said looking to the side. "It's not the most reliable, but it can work."

"Well, what is it then Sans?"

"It's the same thing I used when I first found him. I can trace his soul and the last place where it felt pain. Emotional pain that is."

Undyne leapt up ready to go. "Well then? Hurry up and find him!"

Sans's eye flared up blue as his soul came out of his body. The soul trembled for a second before zooming back towards Sans. The skeleton's pupils disappeared. "I was right…" He mumbled.

"Right about what?" Toriel said with uncertainty.

"Last time he felt emotional pain was… Mt. Ebott."

Frisk flinched immediately. All the monsters knew exactly why I would have gone up there. Everyone looked at each other for a long minute before bursting out the door in pursuit.

* * *

"How the heck to dummies fly?" I said to myself as I stepped out of the room. I saw a suspicious dummy and was curious. I tried to get close and it straight up floated away.

I was about to read the new plaque in the next room until a painful grip on my soul occured. I yelped as my legs gave away. I clutched my soul as images flashed across my mind.

 _Why was Frisk here… The human talked to the dummy. And Toriel… Toriel was here as well. She seemed proud of Frisk for the small feat. Then the image reset as Frisk approached the dummy with their stick. I could have sworn I saw a glimpse of red in their eyes before they struck down the dummy, reducing it to dust. Toriel sighed and mentioned how no one needs to get hurt. Frisk smirked back._

I let out a gasp as my senses came back. My soul stopped panging abruptly as I questioned what I had just seen. Why was Frisk there? Why had I seen two different scenes? "What is wrong with me?" I asked. I stumbled up shaking my head. It felt so real. Was I just hallucinating? I knocked my fist on my head, "Stupid, you were just thinking weirdly." I told myself. I didn't feel any better about my words.

* * *

"Hm…"

"That seemed to have some effect but not as much as desired."

"I'm sure in time it will realize."

"Let's try again shall we?"

* * *

The monsters wouldn't stop sprinting. They knew they didn't have much time already. Frisk and Asriel were having trouble keeping up. Toriel had insisted that she could carry one of them, but they both declined wanting to not make the tired boss monster even more disheveled.

"SANS! AS MUCH AS I HATE BEING LAZY LIKE YOU!" Papyrus yelled through the rain. The thunder sounded again as the drenched monsters pushed onwards. "CAN'T YOU JUST USE ONE OF THOSE SHORTCUTS?"

"Uh Paps, I don't think it will work with this many people." Sans responded. He was more drenched with sweat than rain. This was tiring him out.

"C'mon Sans!" Undyne said. "At least give it a shot." The fish woman had ditched her armor halfway. It had proven to be too much weight.

"Fine." Sans responded. His blue eye lit up, illuminating the path. "Hold on!" He yelled as blue light enveloped everyone.

All of the monsters tumbled over each other as the light disappeared. They looked up seeing that they hadn't moved an inch. "SANS? WHAT HAPPENED?"

The skeleton got up shakily from the ground. His hands were shaking violently. "I-I don't know. That's never happened."

* * *

"Not yet Sans…"

"Your time will come."

"However…"

"Project S-3 still has much to learn."

* * *

 _Frisk's soul flashed three times on their chest. They looked down at a Froggit who had blocked their path to Toriel. Frisk gave it a compliment. Froggit didn't understand what Frisk had said, but was flattered anyway. Toriel saw what was going on and gave the Froggit a death stare of its life. It ran away as the duo proceeded._

 _The scene switched again. Frisk's soul flashed three times. They looked down at the Froggit who had gotten in their way. Frisk smirked and raised their stick. That couldn't hurt a Froggit right? Wrong. Frisk threw their hand down with that same red glint in their eyes. The stick struck Froggit's head as the monster turned to dust slowly. Frisk grinned as the dust coated them. Toriel hadn't seen…_

"W-What the…" I said in disbelief. It had happened again. "Why does this keep happening…" My heart was racing. "No," I said refusing to believe what I saw. "That wasn't real. Frisk is too nice to do that."

I shook my head again trying to clear my mind. "Pull yourself together." I told myself. My composure slipped when I saw a field of spikes ahead of me. "Oh hell no." I yelled. "Nope, not doing this nope." I focused my magic. My right was still flickering. Sentinels appeared across the spikes giving me a path to walk on. My sentinels had taken a different shape. The wings had become more jagged in various locations. My magic was all over the place that day. I shrugged and walked across.

* * *

The monsters had finally slowed down to a walk. They agreed it was useless to use up their energy so quickly. Everyone was thankful for the break. It was getting extremely dark and hard to see in front of them. They would have to stop soon.

Frisk looked over at their friend. The kind prince had been reduced to a trembling mess after he had been brought back. Nothing made him laugh or smile anymore. He couldn't get rid of his past self.

Frisk noticed how uneven Asriel's breathing was becoming. They thought it was because of the exhaustion but… "Asriel!" Frisk yelled as the goat monster stumbled to the ground. He was clutching his right eye in pain. "Asriel! Are you okay?"

The young prince cried out in pain. "N-No…" Asriel whimpered. The pain was unbearable for him.

Toriel whirled around hearing her children's voices. Asgore had stopped seeing Toriel was panicking. Toriel rushed over to Asriel in fear. "My child what is wrong?" She noticed how Asriel refused to uncover his right eye. "Here, let me see."

"No mom, please." Asriel pleaded.

He was too late. Toriel, Asgore, and Frisk gasped. "Asriel, how did you…" Frisk began in shock. Asriel had a golden flame shining brightly from his right eye.

* * *

"Something isn't right…"

"..."

"No…"

"That wasn't supposed to…"

"..."

"Well, this makes everything more complicated."

"They are connected now."

"Oh well, this shouldn't interfere."

 **Not my longest of chapters but I had to get ready for tomorrow.**

 **Also... you guys are insane. I posted and then get four reviews in an hour. Like wut**

 **And you will be pissed at me now, because I left you at a cliff hanger :3 Mwahahaa**

 **Anyways I'm off on vacation! I will try my best to get a chapter or two in!**

 **Please favorite, follow, and review**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out!**


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: Darker

*You took a piece of candy

*You took another piece of candy… How disgusting

*You took another piece of candy… You feel like the scum of the earth

The candy basket toppled over the pillar. That's what I get. _I felt my sins crawling on my back._

*Look at what you've done!

I didn't care. Free freaking candy. I walked back into the previous room. I could have sworn I kept seeing dust piles behind me. But, when I turned around they weren't there. Just the plain Ruins.

Something was definitely off. I almost felt like something was watching me. Almost like an unseen presence. It sent shivers down my spine. The rest of the Ruins were leaf piles that weren't leaf piles and instead death traps. I saw a spider bake sale, but I really hate spiders. They are scary… _Hey don't you judge._

Finally, after what seemed like an hour of walking, I stumbled upon a deserted house. It was warm and welcoming as soon as I stepped in. Most furniture was gone as the monsters had taken it to the surface. There was nothing to see here. The Ruins seemed to have no other way out, so I decided to check the basement of the house. Maybe that would have a away out.

As soon as I walked down the stairs, the air grew colder. Something kept telling me to push onwards but… I was uneasy. I felt as if something horrible was about to occur. I rounded the corner and froze upon seeing a tall doorway wide open with the delta rune engraved in it. My soul panged again as I fell to the ground. "Not again…" I mumbled.

" _Prove yourself…" Toriel's voice caught me off guard. She normally was never like that. "Prove to me you are strong enough to survive." Toriel's hands were engulfed in flames as she turned to face Frisk. The human shook with the stick in their grip. They seemed terrified._

 _Fire launched at Frisk from all sides. They dodged, getting hit many times by a ball of flame. The human stood upright and charged Toriel with the stick. The stick left a scar on Toriel… but she seemed… proud. The same thing repeated over and over. Frisk slammed the stick into the motherly monster after Toriel launched a wave of fire. Eventually, Toriel purposefully missed Frisk in hopes the human would just go upstairs. Frisk struck again and covered their mouth in horror. A large gash had made its way through Toriel's robe. Dust was spiraling through the air. "Urgh…" Toriel shook. "You were… stronger than I thought." Toriel… no! "Listen closely young one, you must not let Asgore take your soul. Be good won't you…" She looked up at the human. A loving smile spread across her face. "_ _M_Y C_H_I_L_D…"_ _Frisk screamed and fumbled with the dust._

" _No…" They yelled at the top of their lungs. "NO! I DIDN'T WANT THIS!" Dust swirled around Frisk as I caught a glimpse of something shining. I could have sworn there was a word written on it… but I couldn't make it out._

 _The scene switched again. Frisk stepped forward with the stick with confidence. They didn't tremble. "Prove yourself…" This was exactly the same. "Prove to me you are strong enough to survive!" Toriel stopped. "Why are you looking at me like that, as if you have seen a ghost. Do you know something I do not?" Frisk looked shocked for a second before regaining posture. This time, the human refused to fight as much as Toriel urged them to. They dodged without getting blasted once._

" _Pathetic, is it not? I can't save the life of a single child." They were able to get past Toriel without fighting. Frisk had done it. They seemed relieved as I was. "You must promise me one thing, please don't come back. I hope you understand…" Toriel threw her arms around Frisk as the human fully accepted the embrace. "Goodbye my child…"_

 _The scene faded again. Wait, normally there were only two… But the first seemed like… Frisk approached, dust coating their shirt. A grin was plastered across their face. A bow was in their hair. The toy knife dangling at their side. "Prove yourself, prove to me you are strong enough to survive!" Toriel's hands were engulfed in fire once again. Frisk immediately rushed forward and cut a clean slice down Toriel's face and chest. They laughed._

 _Toriel seemed to have been broken. She seemed to have lost all hope. "Do you really hate me that much?" She started. Frisk didn't care. They even gave off a demonic laugh. "Now I know who I was protecting by keeping you here. Not you…" A strange distorted smile spread across her face. "But them…" She fell to her knees. "_ _H_A… H_A…"_

"NO!" I yelled springing to my feet. There was no Toriel, no demonic Frisk. It was just me and an empty room. I had been crying… "O-Okay, pull yourself together…" I told myself. "Something is going on here. You don't know what it is but you should just go with it!" I told myself. "No… that's not going to work…" I sighed as I walked through the doors. "Which hallucination is next?"

* * *

Toriel waved her hand over her sleeping son yet again. The green magic was having no effect on the eye that still sent flares every now and then. Asriel shivered in the mother's arms from the cold. The pain on his face was vibrant and clear. 'My poor baby has been through so much.' Toriel thought.

Frisk wouldn't leave her side. They wouldn't leave Asriel. Toriel smiled inside at the family she had. Yet, how had it all come to this? What had made him snap all of the sudden? Chara happened… Toriel hadn't known she could have talked to her child. It sickened her.

How long had Chara been watching? How much did she wish she could talk to her mother again? The mother started quietly sobbing. She had replaced her own children so many times. And the worst part is, Chara had been there the whole time in the shadows. Toriel had failed as a mother to all of her children before Frisk. It was only a blessing that she had a second chance to be with her son.

"Mom?" Asriel had opened his emerald eyes barely. As soon as he let light reach them the flame ignited once more. He whimpered in pain. "Mom i-it hurts."

Toriel brushed her son's fur back trying to comfort him. She held him closer than ever. "It's alright my child. You can make it through this." She knew Asriel was in no real danger. It was just the look of pain on his face that made the mother so distraught.

Frisk would have stayed to talk to Asriel, but for some unknown reason they went to talk to Sans. Toriel dismissed it to take care of her son who was trying to hold back tears. "Mom… W-Will he be okay?"

Toriel's heart shattered. Even though Asriel was in immense pain, he was still thinking of others. How had she gained the right to have such a wonderful child? She thought a bit before responding, "We just have to keep hoping he is alright."

* * *

Frisk felt odd. Not as if they were sick, but as if something had been taken from them. The human had only felt this way in previous times when Chara took over, but why now? Chara was gone. Shouldn't the reset be up to Frisk only now?

There was only one person Frisk could talk to about this, Sans. He would know what to do. The human slowed down the pace for Sans to catch up. He was drenched in sweat. As soon as he saw Frisk coming to talk to him, he became alert. Maybe he had felt it too.

He forced that cheesy grin of his as usual, "Sup kiddo, what are you doing back here?"

In a normal scenario, Frisk would have dropped a well time pun or flirted with the skeleton, but now was not the time. Straight to the point is what they needed. "Sans I-I'm feeling really weird. Like… something is wrong."

The skeleton shushed Frisk right there. His grin had disappeared. "I… was hoping I was imagining things before." Sans closed his eyes. "Kid, can you still SAVE?"

Frisk's throat went dry. They nearly fainted. How had they not seen it yet? How had they been so stupid? "You don't think he-"

"No kid… I KNOW he just did what we think he did." Sans's eye flared blue once again as his soul hovered before him. It seemed as if it was analyzing the area. "Snowdin…" He mumbled. Everyone turned to face Sans. "Guys, he is in Snowdin and headed for the exit to the underground."

Everyone let out a sigh of relief. I was still alive… The monsters had a lead on me.

* * *

"Welcome to Snowdin Town." I read aloud. This place seemed abandoned… The only place where I could see lights on was a restaurant. Seemed nice and maybe I could ACTUALLY warm up. My jacket still hadn't proven any use at this point. The whole entire time I was mumbling to myself, "How did Frisk even do this?"

Better question, how was snow even underground? There were no visible holes for snow to pass through. Answer to all monster related problems? Maaaaaagic.

I rushed over to the restaurant named Grillby's and rushed inside. Great, the place was closing. Boxes lined the walls. The only thing still remaining was the bar itself. A fire elemental, who I assumed to be Grillby, had just finished sealing the last box.

I decided not to disturb him as I turned the knob to the door. I was stopped short when I realized something was touching my shoulder. Grillby looked down at me with no anger in his face, only curiosity. "What is a human doing down here?" He asked.

"U-Um…" My mind went blank trying to search for an answer. "I-I'm sorry. I didn't mean to barge in."

He tilted his head a bit to the left. "I've heard a lot about you…" He motioned towards the center of the room and told me to sit down. I would have left, but I didn't think he would allow me to. So, I reluctantly sat down on the floor. Thank goodness this place was warm. "So…" He began. "How did you get out of Sans's sight?"

My face went pale. That was definitely my cue that I _didn't_ need to be here. I could snap on Sans. They didn't deserve to put up with me. "Sorry, but I really need to go…"

"Nonsense, I think you're just confused." He responded quite calmly. "Look, Sans had already called me and described a human who had gone missing. You fit the exact description."

 _Crap._ "Look, I am running from Sans for a good reason." _Calm down…_ " **So back OFF!"** Red light surrounded me similar to when Sans teleported. I felt the world slipping away. My eyes focused on where I was. _I had just…_ I looked down at my hands which were still enveloped in red. "I just teleported!" I yelled. This was an accomplishment.

The door to Grillby's swung open as he stepped out. Dang he was determined. "Please, don't run!" He yelled.

No time for celebrations. I dashed off to an upcoming snowstorm. I could probably just try to disappear in this, right? As long as my eye wouldn't ignite I would be-

My soul started panging again. "No, no no no no no!" I said as I fell to the ground. "Not now! Please not now!"

" _Halt Human! Allow me to tell you about some complex feelings. Feelings like… they joy of finding another pasta lover. The admiration for another's puzzle solving skills. The desire to have a smart person think you are cool. These feelings… they must be what you are feeling right now! I can hardly imagine what it must be like to feel that way. After all, I am very great. I don't ever wonder what having lots of friends is like. I pity you… lonely human… Worry not! You shall be lonely no longer! I, the Great Papyrus, will be your… …_

 _No… No this is all wrong! I can't be your friend! You are a human! I must capture you! Then I can fulfill my lifelong dream! Powerful! Popular! Prestigious! THAT"S PAPYRUS! THE NEWEST MEMBER OF THE ROYAL GUARD!" Battle initiated. Frisk effectively spared Papyrus and befriended him. Everything seemed right. But… as all other hallucinations went, there was always a catch._

" _Halt Human!" Frisk stepped forward in a taunting manner. A tough glove and bandanna were clothed on the human this time. "HEY! QUIT MOVING WHILE I'M TALKING TO YOU!" Papyrus started panicking. "I THE GREAT PAPYRUS HAVE SOME THINGS TO SAY. FIRST: YOU'RE A FREAKING WEIRDO! NOT ONLY DO YOU NOT LIKE PUZZLES. BUT THE WAY YOU SHAMBLE ABOUT FROM PLACE TO PLACE… THE WAY YOUR HANDS ARE ALWAYS COVERED IN DUSTY POWDER. IT FEELS…" He realized how much his volume had increased. He tried to calm down. "Like your life is going down a dangerous path. HOWEVER! I, PAPYRUS, see great potential within you! Everyone can be a great person if they try! And me, I hardly have to try at all!" Papyrus let out his signature laugh as Frisk took another taunting step forward._

" _HEY!" His volume increased again in panic. "QUIT MOVING! THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT! HUMAN! I THINK YOU ARE IN NEED OF GUIDANCE! SOMEONE NEEDS TO KEEP YOU ON THE STRAIGHT AND NARROW! BUT WORRY NOT! I, PAPYRUS… WILL GLADLY BE YOUR TUTOR AND FRIEND! I WILL TURN YOUR LIFE AROUND!"_

 _Frisk took three more steps forward. They could hit Papyrus now. "I SEE YOU ARE APPROACHING. ARE YOU OFFERING A HUG OF ACCEPTANCE? WOWIE! MY LESSONS ARE ALREADY WORKING! I, PAPYRUS, WELCOME YOU WITH OPEN ARMS!" Battle initiated yet again. Frisk's eyes flashed read as they knocked Papyrus's skull off of his body. His body turned to dust. "W-well, t-that's not what I expected. B-But still! I believe in you! Even if you don't think so! I-I promise…" Frisk raised their foot above the skeleton's head. They brought it down killing what was left of him._

"P-Papyrus…" I whispered. I was crying again. Can't hold myself together can I? "WHY?" I yelled through the storm. "WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO TELL ME?"

* * *

"He is figuring it out slowly…"

"The monsters are on schedule."

"Everything is falling into place…"

 **HEHEHEHEHEHEEH**

 **Suspense around every corner. My favorite :3**

 **MusicalDetermination: Someone gets it! How can you not give Asriel a hug? Note to self: Keep Musical away from knives**

 **Also! For all of you nice peeps who PM'd me about cover art, I just want to make this clear. I will wait for all of the current submissions to be done before deciding. If yours isn't picked... please don't kill me. But you guys are making progress like whaaatttt? Thanks for the hard work!**

 **Please favorite, follow, and review**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15: Memory of a True Hero

"Here we are…" Undyne muttered looking at the massive hole in the cavern. Said cavern used to house the barrier. "I never thought I'd have to come back here."

Asgore let out a sigh. "Let's hope this is quick. I cannot stand being reminded of the torture we were put through."

The party walked forward into the cavern. Asriel still had to be carried by Toriel, sadly. The poor boy couldn't even walk. The pain from his eye had proven to be unbearable. Frisk sometimes tried to at least get a smile from Asriel, but to no success. Hope was dwindling.

Sans's pocket vibrated with a catchy tune. His eye sockets widened as he tried to fish out his phone from his jacket pocket. Ketchup, more ketchup… there it is! He quickly hit the answer button with a, "Sup?"

Grillby was on the other side. His voice was muffled by wind howling. "S-Sans. I found the kid you were looking for." He exclaimed.

"T-That's great Grillbs!" He said excitedly. "Well, where is he?"

"That's the thing…" The phone went to static for a second before coming back. "Did… did you ever notice he could teleport?"

Sans's expression sunk. "Uh… he has never done that. Nope never."

Grillby sighed, "Well, I had him with me and then his voice seemed to… become strange. His left eye started glowing red before he disappeared from sight."

Sans took a glance at Asriel. This was starting to make more sense. "Okay, do you know where he is headed?"

"Waterfall. Sans it's too dangerous for me to traverse there."

"Grillby, don't worry about it. Just make sure he doesn't backtrack to Snowdin." Sans hung up shoving his phone in his pocket. "We gotta hurry."

* * *

-The War of Humans and Monsters-

Well this made me uneasy. I can't wait to read all of these and ruin my mind even further! Nah, not doing that. I decided to just walk onwards and not care. No hallucinations yet. Other than the dust piles in the corners of my eyes. It's almost as if they're following me.

I continued onward until one of those damn plaques caught my eye. Of course it had to…

*A monster with a human soul is a being with unfathomable power.

"NOPE!" I yelled turning away. "No need to worry about human souls and monsters absorbing them nuh uh." My feet left solid ground as I realized I was floating across a large pond. How observant of me…

Well, screw riding an unstable plank of wood, I'm going to teleport. I snapped and in a flash of red light I was across. No wonder Sans did this all the time. It was fun. I noticed something behind me… It was an armless grey monster, staring off into the darkness.

"H-Hello?" I said in its direction. It seemed unmoving.

I inched closer. The monster spoke. "Have you ever thought of a world, where everything operates perfectly… but you don't exist?"

I knew those words… "Heh, yeah, I have actually." I responded.

It tilted its head to the side as it turned around with curiosity. "You… can see me?" It asked. The eyes of it were hollow and empty. It was terrifying.

"Yes… Is that something that isn't normal?"

The monster let out a gasp. "I know you! You're the…. The…" This would take forever. "Ugh, curse my memory. It used to be a lot better than this trust me."

"Um, well I'm no one special buddy. Trust me on that one." I sighed, "I'm just an idiot human who made stupid choices."

"I think…" The monster's eyes lit up. "You're… what did Gaster call it… oh right! A reset seer!"

"What…" I responded. Where were this kid's parents. What the hell even was a reset seer. Probably something that the kid made up.

They started hopping up and down in excitement. "Yeah! I heard Gaster talking about you in his lab! Who else would you be?"

"Not the name of an imaginary thing, that's for sure…" I put my hand up to stop any further outbursts. "Look, I don't know a Gaster and I don't think I'm some popular guy that everyone knows about. Like I said before, I'm a stupid human who made stupid mistakes."

"Oh…" The monster turned back to face the darkness. "Alright then, forget I ever bugged you."

I started sweating. "W-Wait, I didn't mean it like t-" I was talking to thin air. The monster was gone. Shivers went down my spine. "This place gets weirder and weirder every second." I trudged onward with a watchful gaze on anything that moved. This place was just creepy.

A came to a wide open clearing. A single bridge stretched across a large gap. Down below was just darkness. Carefully, I walked across being sure not to lose balance. The bridge had no rails to keep people from falling. As if things couldn't get worse, my soul panged again. It hurt more than the previous times. I was going to fall off the bridge if I didn't-

 _In. My. Way. This was weird. Normally the peaceful visions were first instead of the bad ones. Frisk wore a dusty tutu with ballet slippers. Odd choice of weaponry. A small armless monster quivered, yet remained strong. It was more courageous than most humans I had seen. Frisk leapt forward attempting to kick the monster. A blinding light filled the area._

 _ **-20905**_

 _Undyne had blocked the blow, the hit draining her HP with one hit. Slippers… SLIPPERS had cut through her armor. The monster was horrified. "Undyne! You're… You're hurt…"_

" _Hurt? She responded. "It's nothing. Next time, listen to me when I tell you to leave, okay?"_

" _Undyne I-"_

 _Valiantly, she told the monster to flee. "I'll take care of this! Get out of here!" The monster was scared, but Undyne said she would be fine. It was when the monster left when… She was starting to be surrounded in dust. "...heh… It's nothing…"_

" _No… S-Somehow… with… just one hit… I'm already… already…" She clenched her fists. "D-Dammit…" Frisk started walking away leaving the warrior to die. "Papyrus… Alphys… Asgore… Just like that I've… I've failed you…" She lowered her head in defeat. The cloud of dust enveloped her. She had died in one hit like the rest. "No…" She stood up with struggle. Frisk whirled around. "My body… It feels like it's splitting apart. Like any instant… I'll scatter into a million pieces. But…" She closed her eye. "Deep, deep in my soul. There's a burning feeling I can't describe. A burning feeling that WON'T let me die."_

 _Frisk tilted their head slightly in amusement. Undyne out a hand on her chestplate. "This isn't just about monsters anymore, is it? If you get passed me, you'll… You'll destroy them all, won't you? Monsters… Humans… everyone… Everyone's hopes… everyone's dreams. Vanquished in an instant. But I WON'T let you do that. Right now, everyone in the world." Undyne opened her eye. A golden glow resonated from inside. "I can feel their hearts beating as one. And we have ONE goal. To defeat YOU." Frisk let out a giggle. "Human! No… WHATEVER you are. For the sake of the whole world… I, UNDYNE, WILL STRIKE YOU DOWN!"_

 _Undyne was enveloped in a blue shining light. Frisk covered their eyes to shield themselves from the blinding light. Undyne stepped out with repaired and enhanced armor. She swung her spear at the human turning their soul green. "You're gonna have to try a little harder than that!"_

 _Smoke filled the area. It came back into focus with Undyne kneeling before the human yet again. She was trembling from the immense pain. "Damn it… So even THAT power… It wasn't enough…?" Frisk smirked even though they were breathing heavily. "Heh… Heheheh…" Undyne tried to get up yet again. "If you… If you think I'm gonna give up hope, you're wrong. Cause I've… Got my friends behind me. Alphys told me that she would watch me fight you… And if anything went wrong, she would… evacuate everyone. By now she's called ASGORE and told him to absorb the six human souls." What was happening? Undyne was… melting. Her armor dropped along with her face. "And with that power..." She gave one last big smile. "THIS WORLD WILL LIVE ON!"_

 _For the first time in these visions, Frisk actually turned to me and acknowledged my presence. "You still don't understand do you?"_

 _I tried to summon magic, but nothing came. "No, but why? What even is all of this?"_

 _They chuckled, "This existed, but didn't exist. Frisk did this. So did I."_

" _Then who are you?" I asked, anger boiling over._

" _The demon that appears when you call its name… Chara." They said with a smug look on their face._

 _I rushed forward choking the human. I didn't need magic to beat some sense into this brat. "You aren't Chara. Chara would never hurt anyone!" I threw them to the side. They grabbed on to the bridge just barely._

 _With a maneuver they barely flipped over my head. "Kid, wake up."_

" _What?"_

"Wake UP!" Someone was shaking me. I opened my eyes and quickly realized what I had just done. I had attacked a random person. "Finally, you looked like something wrong was going on there!" A figure in a red cloak said.

I quickly apologized, "O-Oh, sorry… I guess I wasn't thinking straight." We were still on the bridge. No demonic human, no melting Undyne. Only me and the red cloaked monster. I couldn't know what type they were due to the mask covering their face.

"No need, you seemed a bit jumpy as well." She tilted her head to the side. What was with this whole "Chara" person you were talking about?"

"No one…" I lied. I'm such a good liar. _Sarcasm._ "Anyway thanks for… waking me up."

"Eh, no problem. I was just about to meet up with mom anyways." They extended a hand to help me up. "Name's Red." _How creative._

"Bennett. Thanks again Red." The hand was more like a paw to be honest. Most likely a dog monster. They waved and ran off in the opposite direction. _I could have nearly killed Red. That wouldn't have ended well._

I sighed turning around. A large mountain with a hole through the center loomed above me. Wow, a mountain in a mountain, how convenient. I proceeded forward. My soul once again decided now was the time to annoy me. "Why do I have these things?" I mumbled falling again.

* * *

Undyne leapt from rock to rock. She had decided to use the river as transport due to Hotlands heat. Her job was to search Waterfall. But, she didn't expect it to be THIS easy. I was collapsed on the ground in front of where she fought Frisk. My soul had exited my body and was giving off blinding pulses of red.

Undyne whipped out her phone. Hooray for waterproof cases. She quickly dialed Sans, "Hey Sans."

"Sup Undyne. Any luck?" The skeleton responded from the other side.

"Yeah, but he isn't looking too good."

"Alright, I'll be down there in a sec."

Click.

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Red.**

 **Yes I used Red, sue me.**

 **Please favorite, follow, and review**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**

 **EDIT: I'm writing this from the future... Excuse me if I sound clingy with begging for favorites etc. I am just too lazy to remove all that...**


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16: Judgement

"Now as for you…" She leapt down from her position on the mountain. She sighed. "HUMAN! GET UP OR I WILL SUPLEX YOU!" _No response._ "Hello? Punk?" She said slightly nudging me. "Crap…" She thought.

" _That's it then! No turning back! HERE I COME!" Undyne leapt from the rock plunging the spear near Frisk. Their soul turned green._

"Sup Undyne." The sound of a shortcut being used could be heard behind her. Sans stepped out from the blue light.

The fish monster groaned. "He won't get up. I even threatened to suplex him and got NOTHING!"

 _Frisk fled from battle, heading towards the other region._

Sans started chuckling. "Undyne really? Your attitude is ofFISHcially the worst."

"SANS!" An echo could be heard from the distance. "I CAN HEAR YOUR HORRIBLE PUNS FROM ACROSS THE UNDERGROUND!"

The skeleton laughed even harder. "Well, as long as Undyne lets me off the hook I should be f-" Sans's expression sunk.

Undyne noticed and immediately said something, "Sans? What's wrong?" She looked over to where I was and saw I had finally gained control of my senses. "Heya punk!" Undyne said.

I took a glance at where Undyne's voice had come from. She wore the same armor as the hallucination from before. Drops of melting armor fell to the ground. "Kid, you okay?" _Please be normal Sans._ "You look like you've seen a ghost…" I turned my head to the skeleton. A large red gash had made its way through his chest.

I tried to say something, but nothing came. This couldn't be real. It was just another one of these visions again. But one thing in my mind was straight and clear, I hadn't forgotten about Frisk and Sans's little conversation.

A red aura started collecting around me. Sans quickly realized what was going on and tried to grab me. I was too fast and teleported a few meters ahead. _I was NOT letting that back stabbing skeleton get a hold of me._

Sans and Undyne both chased in pursuit. Sans would every now and then try to teleport in front of me. I would swiftly use my own magic and get even farther. As fast as Undyne was, she couldn't keep up with our teleporting frenzy. Eventually, Sans had disappeared from sight. I was confused at first. Then I realized, he HAD to be waiting for me somewhere.

* * *

In a blue flash Sans teleported to the Judgement Hall. Beads of sweat dripped down his skull. Asgore, Alphys, Toriel, Asriel, and Frisk were all waiting for him there will worried looks. Alphys had to look back to Asriel due to what she was doing.

Asriel's health had not gotten any better. Toriel was nearly in tears before Alphys had decided that she would try to do something. At the moment, it was trying to get Asriel to maintain the eye. They didn't have much success.

Sans finally had caught his breath enough to speak. "He… can teleport… Grillby wasn't… lying."

"But Sans," Toriel began, "Can't you do the same?"

"Yeah... but I couldn't catch him! It's honestly..." He paused to catch his breath. "Really impressive."

"W-Well w-w-where is U-Undyne?" Alphys asked still trying to multitask Asriel.

"Undyne is still after Bennett. They should be here soon." He coughed a bit before looking at the small boss monster being tended to by Alphys. "Has he gotten any better?"

Asriel shifted a bit struggling to give a response. Toriel answered for him, "No, only worse." She looked down at the orange and gold tiles floor. "I shouldn't have brought them. It was foolish of me to think this was a good idea."

"Toriel, don't blame yourself." Asgore said through the silence. "We have all made our mistakes."

"Thank you Asgore." She responded. "Well, it isn't long now, right?"

* * *

"NGAH GET BACK HERE YOU PUNK." Undyne yelled.

More circles of light appeared in front of me. I casually teleported in front of them as spears shot up from the ground. "How about no?" I answered back.

Honestly I was questioning my life choices at this point. Hotland was insane being that I was forced to evade Undyne's spears by all means necessary. She had managed to keep up with me even with my teleporting shenanigans. Eventually I teleported up an elevator shaft and ended up in a grey, lifeless city.

I rushed through a house mid way through my journey through the area. It looked exactly like the one in the Ruins. I quickly leapt over the railing, landing on both feet. Undyne yelled after me as I kept running. My eyes focused on what was ahead of me. Papyrus blocked the way. I gritted my teeth and snapped my fingers. Papyrus's eye sockets widened as I appeared a few meters behind him.

"HUMAN PLEASE! STOP AND WE CAN TALK ABOUT THIS!" He yelled after me. Blue bones started appearing from the ground. I quickly dodged in different directions, leaping and weaving. When he had a full blue attack that I couldn't dodge, I would teleport.

I didn't want their pity. The damage was done. A spear came flying by my head. I swiftly dodged to the right. I could see the end of the cavern in sight. _Just a little farther._ I ran into the nearest building. Orange and gold tiled panels made up the floor. Light shone through the stained glass windows.

Spears blocked the entrance and exit. _Shouldn't be a problem, I can just teleport._ I would have, but for some reason, I couldn't. No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't muster up any magic to teleport away.

I focused my gaze on the silhouette at the end of the hall. _Sans._ "Heya…" I could hear it in his voice. The pity was all there. "You've been busy, huh?"

My hand twitched. The light outside darkened. "Yeah, busy wondering what Chara ever did to you."

The slash mark Sans had on his chest was still all there. I knew it wasn't blood. Monsters don't bleed. "Heh, figured… After you ran off and left us in shock, I realized my error." He shut his eyes. "I would explain why… but I can't. Chara did things that no one reme-"

"Is that what this is about?" I asked. "These visions, hallucinations…" I pointed towards Sans. "The large cut through you…"

His eye sockets widened, "How do you…"

I started laughing maniacally, "S-So it's real then?" Tears started building up. "The demon that appears when you call its name, huh? THAT'S HOW THIS ALL IS?"

"Kid please listen, what you're seeing didn't happen. Please calm down."

"S-Sure it didn't happen…" My soul flickered three times. "Someone called me a 'Reset Seer'... I wonder…" I could feel magic resonating around me. "I wonder how much YOU have been hiding from everyone." Sentinels appeared behind me waiting for a command. "You and Frisk seem to have a lot you are hiding from everyone."

Gaster Blasters materialized in thin air behind Sans. "You're really pushing it huh?"

 _I know his weaknesses._ "Is it worth hiding everything from your brother? From Toriel? Undyne? Alphys? Asgore?" I charged forward with a red glow in my eye. Sans swiftly dodged to the left. His Gaster Blasters fired at me, but missed by a long shot. He was missing me on purpose. "I saw so many things Sans…"

"Oh yeah, enlighten me." His eye turned blue along with my soul.

Bones shot at me from all directions. New weight was placed on me as I jumped over them narrowly avoiding being hit. "Toriel, was killed by Frisk. They were scared and yelled in pain." Sans's eyes widened. "Then Frisk spared her. However, Toriel said it looked like Frisk had seen a ghost." Sans gritted his teeth. A sentinel shot a blue shockwave as I rushed forward with it, hoping it would keep him in place. "Then Frisk MURDERED HER."

The skeleton teleported instead of dodging. "Alright that's enough kid."

"Papyrus, was spared effectively by Frisk. Then, they murdered him even when he was sparing them." I ducked as a blaster fired over my head.

"You really love to push other people's buttons don't you?" He mentioned, "Just like Chara." Bones started crawling on the floors.

"Undyne… didn't fall even until the end. She never gave up." I dodged as Sans swung with a bone club. It narrowly left a cut on my arm.

35/36 HP

Only one damage… **Weak**

"Then there was that weird robot. Never attacked and died in one hit. Even after he realized his mistakes… he couldn't put it to use."

Sans looked downward, refusing to attack any longer. "Stop…"

"Then there is you!"

" _Heya, you've been busy huh? Let me ask you a question, do you believe even the worst person can change, if they just try?"_

"I used to say those words, Sans."

" _Heheheh, let me ask you a better question, do you want to have a bad time? BEcause if you take one more step forward, you're REALLY not gonna like what happens next."_

"You hoped they would take that step… didn't you?"

" _It's a beautiful day outside… The birds are singing, flowers are blooming, on days like these…"_

" _Kids like you…"_

" _Should be burning in hell…"_

"What is this?" I opened my eyes. They had gone back to normal. "I-I don't know what's happening." I stared down at my own hands. Blood was dripping from me. A large gash split through my body.

"Kid?" Sans rushed forward. My vision blurred as I started feeling numb. "KID?" I couldn't see anything. "Bennett please… stop fighting it."

It?

What was I fighting?

…

Myself

* * *

"Ow…" I clutched my head in pain. I couldn't think straight. What had happened to me? I opened my left eye, fire immediately spewing out from it. I shut it again quickly, grunting in pain.

I felt as if someone was watching me. But, I couldn't see for anyone because of the pain. "H-Hello?" I yelled out.

I didn't expect a response. Neither did I get one. But, I could hear something. _Machinery…_ Definitely a machine. I tried to force my eye open again. It hurt like hell, but I had to push through it.

I was in a lab-like area. The air was cold. Mist was covering the floor. My eyes scanned for any sign of life. Sure enough, out of a large door, came too figures. One of them, I recognized as Sans. He, however, didn't seem lazy eyed and tired as he normally did. He had a pep in his step and was attentive to everything. This HAD to be a hallucination again.

The other figure… I swore that I had seen him. However, I couldn't place my mind on who he was. He wore a gray lab coat. Two lines ran along his face. He had a calm and relaxed vibe to himself.

"Alright Sans!" The taller skeleton began. "It's finally time to put this into motion."

"Uh doc? How are you sure this is going to work?" Sans asked, tilting his head. He seemed very skeptical about whatever they were doing.

The other skeleton scoffed, "Sans, you know me better than anyone. I always check my variables multiple times and make no mistakes. We will have this project done today."

"Look G, how do we know this won't end up like the _last_ time you said that?" He tilted his head to the side, squinting. "Hell, we aren't even existing in time right now. What happens when you get erased from where you went when you were erased?"

"Don't worry Sans, this isn't like last time." He waved his hand, opening up a door. "We will end the reset loop." Everything about this was screaming, 'Don't go forward.'

 _What was a reset loop. Does this have to do with what the monster called me?_ I quickly followed behind them before the door shut. How had they not seen me yet? Inside the room was a large machine with a vessel. It contained something similar to what Alphys made for Asriel's soul.

"W-Wait Gaster, that's impossible. Creating a soul requires incredible strength. You can't-"

Gaster shushed Sans. So this was who that monster was talking about. "Exactly, I need something powerful. Which is why I have this!" He whipped out a container which contained a golden shard of a… soul.

Sans's eye sockets widened. His grin faltered. "You can't be serious. You took Asriel's soul? G, you do realize that… how, why?" Sans seemed to realize something horrible. "But… Chara is also combined with that soul. That's dangerous!" He glanced to the side.

"I was able to recover the soul moments before he died." Regarding his next question, Gaster said, "Chara will not be a threat if I alter time…" Gaster said with determination. "I can do this, and I will, no matter what the cost."

Sans sighed, "There is no stopping you… is there?"

"You know me too well Sans." Gaster grinned. He placed the shard in the vessel of the machine. That's when I realized just what it was. It was a DT extractor.

The fragment hovered in the vessel. Gaster motioned for Sans to operate a control panel near the back. He, himself, was flipping various levers. 'Soul essence extraction active.' "Let's hope this works Sans." Gold essence began spewing out of the soul and into various tubes. 'Soul creation in progress.' "IT'S WORKING SANS!" He yelled. The gold shard was gone and was being replaced by a red, full, heart.

 _No…_

 _No this isn't real._

"A human soul… Infused with the magic of the Dreemurr family and the strength of Chara." Gaster stated. He tossed the soul upward as it floated to his hand.

 _How? This isn't…_

 _That can't be mine._

I could have sworn Sans took a glance to me. _Probably looking at something behind me._ "Uh G, now where and how are you going to place it in time? That's not an easy feat."

"I am positive that the prince's death would be an optimal place to put project S-3. It would make him realize his hatred for humanity." His eyes lit up with an idea. "I know… put him with Chara. Maybe it will soften that hard soul of theirs." He chuckled. "And for the how… all I need to do is inject it with determination, the ability to change fate."

"You're crazy…" I muttered from the back of the room. They didn't hear.

"But, what about afterwards? The kid would reset anyway because they can't save Asriel. That's nearly a one hundred year gap Gaster."

His smile widened. "I will extract him from the timeline, kill anyone close to him, and there. It will be like only a few years have passed." He said, acting like everything was fine and dandy. "He won't even know he was gone."

My left eye started burning again. I nearly summoned fire to pelt the doctor with. He had toyed with my life. However, Sans looked back EXACTLY to where I was standing, and put a finger over where his lips would be. _He could see me._

Sans turned back to Gaster, "And… you're just going to torture him like this? Why can't you just let him know his purpose instead of alluding it to him?"

Gaster's expression turned grim. "It's for the greater good Sans. It will see that. And if he knew, it would revolt immediately. We need all things to go according to plan."

"Yeah? Well why do you have to kill everyone? And what's with the 'it' thing. Can't you just-"

Gaster lashed out. He grabbed Sans by the wrist in a death hold. "SANS YOU WILL NOT DISOBEY BE! I AM HELPING YOU ESCAPE THE RESET LOOPS. BE GRATEFUL!"

On instinct I threw my hand forward. Fire expelled hitting Gaster head on in the face. His head swung to the side in minor annoyance. Sans stood, mouth agape looking at me. The taller skeleton slowly turned around my way.

"Heh, so you finally understand…" He faced me. I flinched in disgust. His face was melting with that maniacal smile. "Don't worry…" He gave a flick of his wrist. The DT Extractor came to life, glowing with power. "I will make sure you are a success."

"Hey kid!" Sans yelled. "Maybe you just need time to think about all this. But… whatever happens next… don't give up hope, k?" He said winking. "Stay determined."

The Extractor fired, obliterating where I once stood. All that was left was thin air and a crater in the void. "We are making progress…"

 **This chapter probably confused you...**

 **If it did... listen to this for some clearing up**

 **To end the reset loop, Gaster and Sans, in the void, devised a plan. (Sans got to the void through the void room) However, Sans didn't know exactly what said plan was. Although it was to end the reset loop**

 **Then they created Bennett's soul. It's soul purpose (Hue hue hue) Was to protect the timeline to prevent resets.**

 **Yes this was a hallucination.**

 **Why is Gaster telling him his purpose now? You'll have to wait.**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	17. Chapter 17

**To uncover the true story... We must step back before certain incidents...**

Chapter 17: Interlude Pt 1

The human child woke up. However, they didn't wake up to their average bedroom or alarm. No, this was different. Blinding light and flower petals filled the human's view. The human's mind went into panic. "How did I get here? Am I dead? Where is everyone?"

Then, the reality set in. They definitely weren't dead, nor was anyone they knew around. _No one would be looking for them anyway._ One thing was for certain, there was no way they could make it out through that hole. It was at least a 100ft drop.

The child sighed and started looking for an alternate route. The room was extremely dark, other than the large ray of light stretching from where they had fallen. That's when they noticed Chara.

Another child stood over the flowerbed, looking up at the sky above. The human swore they could see through the new encounter. Chara's head snapped towards the human. They quickly noticed an opportunity. " _ **Maybe they can help me…"**_ Chara wondered.

"H-Hello?" Frisk called to Chara.

That took Chara by surprise. Could this human see them? None of the others could... _**"Can you... see me?"**_ Frisk flinched at the voice. It was distorted and quite loud.

It seemed this new encounter was really a ghost. The human was uncomfortable, seeing things that were just myths and rumors on the surface. But, they'd at least try to be polite. Frisk shyly smiled, not taking their squinted gaze off the ghost. "Yeah, I can see you..."

 _ **"Interesting..."**_ The ghost seemed to trot around the room, examining Frisk. Their gaze was sharp, but definitely not cruel. _**"Tell me human, what are you doing in a place like this?"**_

They didn't want to answer that question. Heck, they could be dead right now. They _were_ seeing a ghost. Although, they believed they should answer the question. "I... I ran away."

 _ **"Hmph,"**_ Chara crossed their arms, trying to decide if the were telling the truth or not. _**"Listen, human, I can't do much in my current state, so I have to trust you."**_

Frisk cocked their head to the side in question. Of course, Chara wouldn't be able to interact with anything. "A-Alright, but... what do you need me to do?"

 _ **"Human, you have fallen into a dangerous place."**_ They shut their eyes, seemingly thinking. _**"This may seem crazy and bizarre, but you have fallen into a world of monsters."**_

The human flinched backwards in slight shock about what they were told. "I-I thought those were just legends! Are you just pulling a prank here?"

 _ **"Walk into the next room and maybe I'll answer your question."**_

"Why would I need to do that?" They inferred, only to receive a glare from the ghost. "Alright! Alright..." Just in case, they picked up a stick from the ground nearby. Getting caught off guard was not something they'd like happening.

"Howdy!" A squeaky voice said through the darkness. It made Frisk jump a few feet in the air in shock. They searched around the room, only for their gaze to meet a small golden flower. "I'm Flowey, Flowey the Flower!" Immediately, the human got into a defensive stance, holding their stick in front of them. The ghost wasn't lying! "Really?" Flowey questioned. "C'mon, I don't bite!"

" _ **Frisk, do not trust that flower."**_ Chara demanded. _**"I've seen it many times before. He's trying to trick you."**_

'How about explain this whole monster thing!' Frisk internally yelled at the ghost.

"Hm… you're new to the underground, aren't ya? Well that's great! Guess I'll have to teach you how things work around here." Frisk began feeling cold. It almost felt like they were so exposed. There was a reason. A small red heart emerged from Frisk's chest. They looked at it with wonder and curiosity. "That's your soul! The very cumulation of your being!"

" ** _Your soul... It's... red?"_** The ghost visibly trembled. Frisk eyed them with a curious gaze. This cartoonish heart was their soul? Chara noticed, waving them off. _**"Focus on the weed, I'll explain later."**_

"Your soul starts out weak, but gets stronger when it gains LV." Flowey remarked.

Frisk asked, "What's LV?" To them, it sounded like "Levels" in a video game.

"Why LOVE of course!" The human arched a brow. That seemed very suspicious.

" _ **Wrong kind of love. He is not friendly Frisk."**_

"You want some LOVE, don't you? Well, down here, LOVE is shared through, little white, Friendliness Pellets." Little bullets hovered over Flowey's head. Frisk was amazed at the use of the strange force that held them up. This was strange. Was this what magic was like? "Move around! Grab as many as you can!"

The bullets zoomed towards the human in a timely fashion. Frisk quickly dodged, deciding to trust Chara. Flowey looked amused, "Hey buddy, ya missed them. Let's try again!" Frisk dodged yet again. Flowey looked annoyed this time. "What? Are you deaf? RUN. INTO. THE. BULLETS!" Frisk's eyes widened as Flowey froze. "Friendliness pellets!" He said correcting himself.

Frisk dodged a third time. Flowey's face morphed into a demonic image. "You know what's going on here, don't you? You just wanted to see me suffer." Frisk was surrounded by the bullets with no way to escape. Could all monsters do this? Who cares? They were going to die! "DIE!" Flowey let out a demonic laugh as the bullets got closer.

" _ **Don't worry, I got you."**_ The ghost disappeared for a moment, seemingly going somewhere else. A fireball appeared on the side of the room, flinging into Flowey and launching him away. Chara reappeared with a smirk on their face. _**"I may not be able to interact with the environment, but I can give people a sick feeling..."**_

The human looked at them, confused at what they meant. However, they were mainly thankful that they weren't being killed by a demonic flower. Their face paled when they saw what had entered the room.

"Oh my, what a miserable creature… torturing such an innocent youth…"

* * *

"Prove yourself… prove to me you are strong enough to survive!" Toriel's hands were engulfed in fire. The motherly monster Frisk had met before was extremely kind to them before, but the way she looked at them now struck them with fear.

 **Song: Heartache - Toby Fox**

Frisk's soul flickered three times on their chest. They hesitantly stepped forward with their stick. 'Ghost friend?' They thought to Chara. They didn't have a name to peg on the ghost yet as they hadn't told them their name. 'I'm not sure about this.'

" _ **Look, I know Toriel better than anyone. Just lower her health and she should let you go."**_ Chara said. They were unsure of this as well. _**"Just... try to spare her when her health is low."**_

'Okay…' They looked forward, seeing that Toriel was letting them move first. Frisk leapt forward, striking Toriel with the stick.

 **-45**

They were surprised at how much damage a stick was able to do. Fire swept around the room. Frisk screamed and attempted to dodge the attacks. They were hit three times by the new pattern. The small flames lingered on their shirt before the human patted them out with haste. Fear struck their being. Toriel wouldn't kill them, would she?

10/20 HP

'Hello? Ghosty?… help.'

 _ **Toriel, 80 ATK 80 DEF**_

 _ ***Knows what's best for you**_

'That doesn't help!' Frisk complained. They ran forward again, twisting and turning through stray flames. A horizontal strike to Toriel's side caused her to flinch, but not falter.

 **-50**

Toriel seemed proud. She swept across the room with her hand, a line of fire hovering before her. Fire launched in lines at Frisk. They dodged to the left, right, up, down. RIGHT! A fireball managed to graze their arm. The burning sensation once again filled their body.

7/20 HP

Frisk didn't even pause this time. They rushed forward gaining another successful hit.

 **-55**

Toriel was looking tired. She launched her hand outward, fire spewing outwards hitting Frisk directly. She flinched as the human fell backwards.

2/20

Frisk weakly smiled at Toriel, hoping she would let them go. The woman resumed with her stern expression. Seeing as nothing could be done yet, they ran forward again, striking with all they had.

 **-485**

Toriel, Frisk, and Chara's eyes widened. That one hit… was able to kill Toriel. She fell to the ground with a large gash down her chest. "Urgh… you were… stronger than I thought…" Frisk dropped their stick and rushed forward to the motherly figure. Tears began collecting in the corner's of their eyes. "Listen closely, young one. If you go beyond this door, keep walking as far as you can. Eventually, you will reach and exit. ASGORE, you must not let ASGORE take your soul. His plan cannot be allowed to succeed. Be good… won't you?" Her arms wrapped around Frisk. " **M_Y_C_H_I_L_D…"**

Dust filled the room. Toriel was gone from the floor. A small white soul floated above Frisk before shattering into millions of pieces. "M-Mom?" Frisk whispered in disbelief.

 _ ***Your LOVE has increased…**_ Chara muttered.

Frisk stared at their hands in disbelief. Dust coated them and the stick they were holding. Their hands trembled, letting the stick fall to the floor. They fell to their knees, covering their face. "NO! I DIDN'T WANT THIS!"

" _ **M-Mom?"**_ Chara felt tears collecting. Just like the last time, Chara had managed to kill another member of their family... _**"Human**_ _ **… it's my fault. I was so stupid."**_

Frisk broke down in tears. Chara tried to comfort the child, but their hand phased right through them. Frisk stopped crying for a moment, before looking up. "No... it's all my fault, I should have-" Frisk's attention was immediately diverted to something across from them.

Chara's caught on, eyes widening at what they saw. _**"What... is that?"**_

A glowing plaque hovered in the air above them. Words were engraved in it. RESET. Both humans stared at each other in confusion. Something was driving Frisk, telling them to just press that button. Without waiting for Chara's consent, Frisk leapt to the button, the world distorting at its seams.

Neither of them noticed a third one watching...

The human child woke up. However, they didn't wake up to their average bedroom or alarm. No, this was different. Blinding light and flower petals filled the human's view. They shot up in an instant, looking at their surroundings. _It was almost as if everything had started over._

Chara stood over them, shaking their head in disbelief. " _ **I can't believe it…"**_

So, it was real then? "Did that all really happen Chara? Or was I dreaming…" Frisk asked hesitantly.

Chara glanced to the side before answering, " _ **You killed mom on accident…"**_ They sighed. " _ **Now, if anything goes wrong, we have means of setting it back…"**_

Time was basically at their fingertips. "Let's go! What are we waiting for!" Frisk leapt up, running out of the room with Chara trailing behind.

However, Chara felt something strange. When they killed Toriel… they were crying, yes. But, they felt more powerful, as if they could do anything. Chara shook their head dismissing the thought. _No one needs to die._

Neither of them even questioned why they were so fine with time reversal. Maybe it was because they hadn't noticed someone else.

* * *

Frisk stepped forward with confidence. Their soul flickered three times. One thing was on the fallen human's mind. They WOULD get out of here without killing Toriel. Chara was silent this time around.

Frisk immediately said, "I don't want to fight."

Toriel didn't respond, only summoning more fire magic. Frisk dodged all of it skillfully. Once again they said, "I don't want to fight!"

Toriel ignored yet again. She swept her hand, fire appearing in lines. Frisk wasn't even phased by it. "I won't fight you!"

"What are you doing? Attack or run away!" Toriel demanded. "What are you proving this way?"

"I'm proving that I can do this!" Frisk responded. More fire rained from the ceiling. The human backflipped, landing on their feet. The fire missed by a longshot.

"Fight me or leave!" Toriel yelled.

"I won't fight you mom!" Frisk said.

Toriel flinched at being called mom by Frisk. "Stop it… Stop looking at me that way."

The fire purposely evaded Frisk. They didn't have to move. "Please…"

Toriel sighed, "I know you want to go home, but… please… Go upstairs now."

"As much as I want to, there are people who need me on the surface."

"I promise I will take good care of you here." She gave a patient smile to Frisk. "I know we do not have much, but we can have a good life here."

The human wanted so much to stay. _To stay with someone who loved them._ But they would not let Chara down. "I'm sorry, I can't."

"Why are you making this so difficult?" Toriel seemed on the verge of tears.

"I will not die to Asgore." Frisk said with determination.

She started crying, "Pathetic, is it not? I can't save the life of a single child."

"No mom I-"

"No, I understand. You would just be unhappy trapped down there. The RUINS are very small once you get used to them. It would not be right for you to grow up in a place like this. My expectations… My loneliness… My fear…" She smiled, "For you my child… I will put them aside."

 **So yeah, my Chara is not like your average Chara.**

 **But, we will see where this leads us**

 **We will not be following the OC for a bit.**

 **However, we will go into discussing what happened exactly.**

 **Also! If you are working on a cover art, one person has finished. Finish quickly or I will have to cancel yours.**

 **And, if I do not choose yours, please do not hate on me or anything. This is fair game.**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18: Interlude Pt 2

Frisk proceeded through the Underground. They made friends with every monster with the help of Chara. Through the Snowy Forest they met Sans and Papyrus, the lovable skeleton brothers. In Waterfall, Frisk met the warrior and hero, Undyne. As tough as the fish woman was, Frisk's mercy came through. Then Frisk met Doctor Alphys and Mettaton. They both set up events in Hotlands in hopes of convincing Frisk to stay. However, it was futile.

Frisk ventured to New Home. They learned about the death of the King and Queen's son. Sans judged them in the Judgement Hall for their EXP and LOVE. Except… Frisk had none. Asgore destroyed Frisk's will to spare him. Frisk fought him, but still would not kill him in the end. He was, however, finished off by Flowey the flower.

The demon plant tried to use the power of the six human souls to kill Frisk. Even in the end, Frisk was able to spare Flowey as well. In return, Flowey offered a happy ending. Frisk went on a date with Alphys on accident. They then, explored the True Lab, learning about the determination experiments. Alphys made up for her mistakes and stopped lying. Frisk was finally able to piece together who this ghost was in the lab. With a better understanding of each other, they agreed to set the monsters free, no matter what happened.

Frisk went to fight Asgore again, seeing as there was no where else to go. Toriel had ended up stopping the fight. All of Frisk's friends showed up in an attempt to stop the fight. However, Flowey appeared and captured Frisk's friends. They then explained how this is all just a "game." And, he will keep them here. Even if it meant killing them over and over.

They hadn't known it was a warning... to not end the game.

All the monsters cheered Frisk on and restored their HoPe to full. Flowey acted shocked before putting on that sinister grin. He absorbed all of the human and monster souls in the underground, bringing back his former self.

The figure stood in the distance. He clenched his hands, testing his new mobility. He tilted his head, remembering how good having a body felt. "Finally…" The goat monster in the distance said. "I was… so tired of being a flower…" He turned around opening his eyes. "Howdy, Chara, are you there? It's me, your best friend…"

His body began to grow larger. The fangs that barely showed grew longer and sharper. His horns sprouted from his head, black scars appearing on his cheeks at the same moment. His normal green eyes turned a deep black. His normal clothes began warping into a black cloak, oriented around battle.

 **"ASRIEL DREEMURR"**

 **(Song: Hopes and Dreams [UNDERTALE])**

" _ **A-Asriel? What happened to you?"**_ Chara whispered. " _ **Frisk! Help him please!"**_ Frisk nodded as colors split through the endless darkness. The battle began. Asriel flew into the air, spreading his arms wide. Sparks emanated from them as lightning struck from the endless sky above. Frisk rolled out of the way, barely managing to dodge.

"You know…" Asriel began, "I don't care about destroying this world anymore! After I defeat you and take total control of the timeline, I just want to reset everything!" He spread his arms out again. Stars flung out of them, zooming towards Frisk. The human's eyes widened as a star collided with them, head on.

10/20 HP

"All your progress…" He put out his left arm, a sword appearing. "Everyone's memories…" Another appeared in his right. "I'll bring them all back to zero!" Asriel swung with the blades as Frisk sidestepped out of the way. His head dislodged as both swords swung down. Small sparks homed in on Frisk. They were clipped by one. They winced in pain.

HP 4/20

"Then… we can do everything ALL over again!" A large machine like launcher was held in Asriel's right hand. He aimed it at Frisk, firing fragments of reality at the human. Frisk easily dodged until Asriel spun the launcher around. In charged a massive amount of energy before firing a large beam. Frisk was caught off guard.

HP 0/20

They held on to their determination. They would NOT give up. Chara helped Frisk to their feet, not letting their soul shatter. With their combined determination…

And the determination of another...

 _ ***But it refused…**_

Asriel seemed shocked, but that changed to amusement. "And you know what the best part about all this is? You'll do it." Lightning struck again, moving faster and sweeping across the area. Frisk ran forward, barely managing to avoid the hazardous electricity.

"Because YOU want a happy ending." More stars fell from the sky. They spun, making a large loop around Frisk before trying to make contact. The human predicted this and backflipped over them, landing on a hand.

"Because YOU love your friends." Asriel said in a mocking voice. He grabbed hold of his blades again, making an attempt to slice Frisk. Frisk was able to parry the blows using their worn dagger.

"Because you never. Give. Up." Asriel spun the launcher around once again, firing unpredictable rounds. This didn't stop Chara from helping. The heart shaped locket resonated with power. Chara flung their hands outward...

A third presence helping them...

Frisk began to be able to pick up in-human speeds.

Asriel looked in confusion before firing a shockwave of stars. Frisk was too fast.

"ENOUGH MESSING AROUND! It's time to purge this timeline once and for all! Let's see what good your determination is against this!" Asriel gave a sassy head shake before disappearing. Frisk started floating before realizing what had taken Asriel's place. A large skull of a goat laughed in Frisk's face. Reality started collapsing around the human. Their soul was enveloped by a large flash of white.

" _ **We are not dying here Frisk!"**_

Frisk nodded and blindly rushed the skull. Red started to develop around them as they were filled with determination. Their knife collided with the skull as in shattered to pieces. Asriel reappeared, looking quite annoyed.

"Even after that attack, you're still standing in my way?" He asked, letting out a laugh. "You really are something special. But don't get cocky, up until now, I've only been using a fraction of my real power! Let's see what good your determination is against THIS!" Asriel, along with everything else in sight, distorted into a white light.

 _ ***Asriel blocks the way…**_

"Behold! My true power!" Asriel exclaimed. Wings had sprouted from his back. More symbols riddled his body. He outstretched his hands before colorful blasts launched towards Frisk. The human tried to move, but discovered it was impossible. All of the blasts connected, draining Frisk's HoPe. Their soul refused to break. Cracks began forming across the heart.

Asriel acknowledged this, giving a sickening grin. "I can feel it… every time you die, your existence on this world slips. Every time you fall, your friends forget you more. You will die here in a world where no one remembers you." Frisk held their arms up, trying to shield themselves. Chara couldn't even help.

"Still? Come on… Show me what good your determination is now!"

They human struggled one last time, feeling something trying to help, calling out to them.

 _ ***You struggled… nothing happened.**_

 _ ***You tried to reach your SAVE file, nothing happened.**_

 _ ***You tried again to reach your SAVE file… nothing happened…**_

 _ ***But maybe… with what little power you have… you can SAVE something else…"**_

An idea sparked in Frisk's mind. They could feel it. Their friends were calling out to them from inside Asriel. "Undyne! Alphys! Asgore! Toriel! Sans! Papyrus!" Frisk called out. They could feel the souls calling even more.

 _ ***The lost souls have appeared!**_

All six monsters appeared around the human, glitch-like particles blocking their faces. Frisk reminded them of who they were, freeing them from Asriel's hold.

 _ ***Frisk… there is still one person left to SAVE…"**_

'Who?'

 _ ***Allow me…"**_

Frisk felt a numbness coming from their body. They were effectively forced out, Chara inhabiting them. Their eyes snapped open, red eyes being revealed.

" _ **Asriel!"**_ Chara called. The monster flinched. Memories came flooding back. The fall, Asriel finding them, the family taking care of Chara, all of the happy memories from before.

"W-What is this feeling. What did you do to me?" He asked. "No… NO I DON'T NEED ANYONE." He sent out a flurry of attacks. Chara took each and every blow. still giving him a warm smile.

" _ **Asriel, forgive me…"**_

"Do you know why I'm doing this? Why I keep fighting to keep you around?" He lowered his head in shame, purposely missing.

" _ **..."**_

"I'm doing this… because you're special… Chara. You're the only one who understands me. You're the only one who is any fun to play with anymore."

" _ **Please… come back Azzy…"**_

"No, that's not just it… I… I'm doing this because I care about you. I care about you more than anyone else…"

" _ **I love you too Asriel."**_

"I'm not ready for this to end… I'm not ready for you to leave… I'm not ready to say goodbye to someone like you again…" Large tears dripped from his eyes.

" _ **You don't have to… we can be happy."**_

"SO PLEASE! STOP DOING THIS! AND JUST LET ME WIN!"

" _ **NO! I'M NOT LEAVING YOU!"**_ Chara was blasted with the most powerful attack Asriel ever had given. They would not let him do this. Rainbow lights flared from his palms, Chara not even flinching when the searing pain struck them.

"STOP IT! STOP IT NOW!" Chara remained defiant. The blast eventually stopped. Asriel lowered his head in grief. "C-Chara… I'm so alone… I'm so afraid… Chara I… I…"

What was a powerful god before, had been reduced to a mess of tears on the floor. "I-I'm so sorry…" He was able to pull himself together enough to speak. "I was always a crybaby… wasn't I Chara?" He asked in shame. His fake smile disappeared. "I know… you're not really Chara. Chara has been gone for a long time."

" _ **A-Azzy I'm right here…"**_ Chara tried to reach out to their sibling. However, they could not even talk to him. They couldn't say they were sorry for everything.

"W-What is your name?" He asked.

"Frisk." The human answered.

"Frisk? T-That's a nice name. Well Frisk, I haven't felt like this for a long time. Without a soul… I lacked the ability to love. But now, your kindness guided me. There is no excuse for what I've done."

" _ **I**_ I _**Fo**_ fo _ **r**_ r _ **gi**_ gi _ **ve**_ ve _**Yo**_ Yo _ **u**_ u…" They both said, voices overlapping.

Asriel looked confused for a moment. Whether it was due to being forgiven, or the overlapping voices, no one knew. "Frisk… thank you… but even if you forgive me. I can't keep these souls inside of me. But… with the last of my power… monsters… will finally go free." An earsplitting shatter could be heard from all corners of the underground. The barrier had been destroyed.

Asriel fell to the ground. The smile on his face was more forced than ever. "Frisk… I have to go now… Without everyone's souls… I won't be able to feel anymore. I will turn back into a flower…"

Both Frisk and Chara walked towards Asriel, sharing the body equally. They both embraced him as he accepted. All three children began crying. "Ha… Ha… I don't want to let go…" They never let go for a long few minutes. Finally, Asriel pushed away, regretfully. "Frisk… take care of mom and dad for me… okay?"

"Asr _ **Brother**_ iel…"

The monster walked off into the darkness. Frisk woke up, surrounded by their worried friends. Everyone was overjoyed. However, none of them remembered their souls being absorbed. It was odd to say the least.

Frisk asked their friends if they would wait. Chara was curious about what the child had planned. Everyone said yes to Frisk as the human ran off, not waiting for an answer. Chara kept prodding and prying, asking Frisk what they were doing. That was until they had reached Chara's grave.

"F-Frisk? You're still here?"

"As-"

"I appreciate you keeping me company, but you know I can't go back. Without a soul… I would just be Flowey again. I can't break their hearts all over again. It's best if you just forget about me Frisk."

"I won't leave without you Asriel."

"Frisk… why did you climb Mt. Ebott?" This question caught Frisk off guard. They were not expecting this at all. "Everyone knows the legend, right. Why would you ever climb a mountain like that? Was it foolishness? Fate? Or… something else…"

Frisk looked down at the ground, trembling. Asriel realized he had touched a sensitive area in Frisk's memories. He apologized and said, "Well, only you know the answer…" He looked up trying to take Frisk's mind off of it. "Well, I know why Chara climbed Mt. Ebott. It wasn't a very happy reason…"

" _ **..."**_

"I don't know why I ever thought you and Chara were the same person. Other than your- er… fashion choices. Now that I think about it… Chara wasn't always a good friend to me… But you Frisk…"

Chara's eyes widened. " _ **A-Asriel? N-No… I'm sorry…"**_

"You were the friend I wish I always had."

" _ **I want you back Asriel…"**_ Chara whispered. " _ **I-I just wish we could be happy again…"**_ The ghost tried to hug Asriel, but failed in doing so. They laid on the floor, crying in pain. Frisk tried so hard not to look at Chara. It would only cause Asriel more worry than he needed.

"Frisk… go with the ones who love you…"

" _ **Asriel… we aren't leaving you… You WILL come with us!"**_

"Frisk… don't you have anything better to do?" He said, turning back to the flowers.

The body sharing duo were both left in silence. How? Why? This couldn't be it. "We aren't leaving you alone Asriel."

"Frisk… don't you have anything better to do?"

Frisk sighed, "I will come back for you Asriel. We won't leave you behind."

Asriel solemnly nodded as Frisk left the room, crying. The monster who was rejected a second chance in life, fell to his knees. Vines began wrapping around his arms and legs. Dust began spreading throughout the room. "Howdy!"

 **Why did I skip most of the route?**

 **Well I don't wanna bore you guys to death with a slightly tweaked pacifist route.**

 **So I am only doing important to the story events.**

 **Also thank you any new followers! Your support means a lot**

 **Please favorite, follow, and review**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19: Interlude Pt 3

"I want to stay with you!" Frisk exclaimed to Toriel.

Toriel clasped her hands over her snout in surprise. "What?! Frisk… You really are a funny child. If you had said that earlier, none of this would have happened. It is a good thing you took so long to change your mind. Well… I suppose if you really have no place to go, I will do my best to take care of you for as long as you need. All right?" Frisk nodded. Toriel smiled, taking the human's hand in their own. "Now, come along."

The monsters walked off onto a new life. Everyone seemed happy to finally see the world above. Frisk had already made plans on how to integrate into society. But, they had to tell Asgore about it because no one would listen to a child.

Of course there would be roadblocks along the way. But, nothing too serious, right? Wrong. As soon as they got to the nearest town, the humans had figured out a secret of the monsters. They had spied on the monsters while they were travelling. And what had the humans figured out? They found out about the deaths of six children.

The monsters were forced to evacuate the town due to human uproars. They fled to Mt. Ebott to try to stay safe. The monsters began a society from there. The humans did not venture far enough to find them at first. But, as if luck couldn't have been worse, the humans found the monsters.

This caused a mayhem. Human protestors wanted their children back, but nothing could be done. The humans saw the deaths of six children as an act of war. War broke out between the two races.

Without warning, somehow, the timeline was reset completely.

Run #3

This time, Chara and Frisk looked for new options. They tried to stay in the underground, but events went the same way. One way or another they would be forced to fight Asgore. Asriel wasn't saved, and the humans would declare war, one way or another. Why did it have to be this way?

Once again, the timeline was reset entirely.

Run #6

Frisk led the monsters to the surface again. However, Asriel was out of the picture. They tried to keep monsters hidden from humans. But, the humans found them and persecuted them for past crimes. Then, the results were jaw dropping.

Run #17

Chara had gone completely silent… Nothing was working. Sans also seemed more lazy and unfocused this time. Something was off with him. This time, Frisk tried to negotiate with the humans using different methods. It did not work.

Run #30

This reset, Frisk and Chara were growing tired. The world kept getting reset without their consent, but they still had the power to do so as well. The fallen human had gone silent. They would not speak to Frisk or even note other's actions. But, this time, Frisk found that they were not in control of their body. Chara had taken full control to try and take matters into their own hands.

Run #54

Chara had been driven to insanity. Listening to the same dialogue. Watching as the humans killed all the monsters. Then, they finally snapped. Frisk decided to take back control. However, a terrible event took place. Frisk accidently killed a monster. They felt something that they had never felt before. They felt stronger.

Run #170

An anomaly looked on the destruction he had caused... A grin crept on his face as an idea came to mind. Pressing the buttons on a keyboard... he hit the True Reset button.

The child had become corrupt. They were curious, bored, enraged, _betrayed..._ There was no happy ending. So, the child decided to see what happens when they kill everything. Before this timeline they had tried killing certain monsters, but nothing happened. It was the only other option. Chara protested but… they were not in control. Frisk slaughtered every monster. But, they became a monster themselves.

Toriel, who was a mother to the child, was murdered without a hint of sadness. Papyrus, who believed in Frisk until the end, died with an open embrace. Undyne, with a reformed body from determination, couldn't withstand the power of the human. Mettaton, didn't fight and died in one hit, hoping the human would change. Then there was Sans…

Frisk entered the Judgement Hall, True Knife and The Locket equipped. The human was still annoyed about Flowey fleeing. But, they wouldn't let that get in the way. They expected Sans to try to stop them. But, they were not prepared for what would follow.

The human saved before approaching the skeleton. "Heya, you've been busy, huh?" Sans's eyes closed. "Let me ask you a question. Do you believe even the worst person can change… if they just try?" Frisk took a step forward, smirking. "Heheheh, let me ask you a better question," His eyes were dark voids. "Do you wanna have a bad time? Because if you take one more step, you're REALLY not gonna like what happens next." Frisk stepped forward tauntingly. Sans grinned, "Sorry old lady, this is why I NEVER make promises."

Frisk was pulled into battle. They waited expectantly at the skeleton across from them. "It's a beautiful day outside… The birds are singing… The flowers are blooming… On days like these… kids like you…" Frisk's soul appeared. "Should be burning in hell."

Frisk panicked as they were thrown downwards bones sprung up, impaling through their soul.

* * *

"Heya…" Sans said. "You seem mad about something…" He glanced to the side, knowingly. Frisk's eyes widened. How could he remember? "Guess I'm pretty good at my job."

"It's a beautiful day outside… birds a-" Frisk's soul plummeted downward again. Bones drove up, poking through the tiled floors. Once more getting impaled due to Sans's sudden throw down.

* * *

* _ **You feel your sins crawling on your back…**_ Chara said with venom in their voice.

Frisk jumped over the bones at last. Their soul shifted back to red as another array approached them. They quickly dodged only getting hit once. However, retribution took effect. Skulls appeared around Frisk, blasting them to ashes.

* * *

Frisk finally survived the attack. They huffed out air in exhaustion. Sans shrugged, "Huh, always wondered why enemies never use their strongest attack first…"

'Great…' Frisk thought. 'Now, that means his other attacks will be cheap and easy!'

 _ ***You feel like you're going to have a bad time…**_

Bones appeared from all directions, crashing through walls and the floor. Frisk leaped over them, getting hit multiple times.

50/92 HP

They slashed at Sans who quickly dodged, much to their surprise. No one had ever tried to dodge their attacks before. "Our reports showed a massive anomaly in the space-time continuum. Timelines jumping left and right, stopping and starting, until suddenly, everything ends." Sans flung his hand forward, bones zooming past him, all making contact with Frisk.

Their soul broke, a figure scowling before loading a save.

* * *

"Heheheh, that's YOUR fault, isn't it?"

 _ ***Sans, 1 ATK 1 DEF**_

 _ ***The easiest enemy. Can only deal 1 damage**_

Frisk grunted at Chara's taunt. The skeleton HAD to be cheating. Frisk slashed again, only for Sans to teleport behind them, ramming a bone in their soul.

" _ **There is no cheating when the timeline is on the line Frisky."**_

* * *

"Seeing what comes next… I can't afford not to care anymore…" Sans turned Frisk's soul blue, ramming them into wall after wall. He threw them to the end of the Judgement Hall, bones meeting them at the end.

* * *

Gaster Blasters consumed the air, taking Frisk out in a single blast. Chara stood over the human with hatred in their eyes.

* * *

"And getting to the surface doesn't appeal to me anymore. Because we'll end up right back here, without any memory of it." Frisk slid under an array of bones, slicing at Sans. He dodged shrugging. Frisk looked down, a bone piercing through their chest.

* * *

"Uh, that being said… you really like swinging that thing around huh?" Sans shoved his hands into his pockets. "Listen, buddy, I don't know if you heard me before. But somewhere, I can feel it. I feel a glimmer of a good person inside of you. Someone who was maybe… a friend?" Frisk looked down in shame. "Listen, just put down your weapon, and it will make my job a lot easier."

 _ ***Sans is sparing you**_

After everything they had done… Sans was sparing them? No, this had to be a trick! But, Frisk had to try. Frisk's grip on their knife loosened. They dropped it to the ground with a clatter. The child collapsed. "I-I'm so sorry Sans…" Chara was right. This was all stupid.

Except that it wasn't their choice to spare Sans in the first place...

Sans sighed. He looked off into the distance with a wall behind his eyes. "I know, it must have been really hard for you to go back on all you have worked for. Don't worry, I'll make it worth it. Come here buddy, pal." He extended his arms for a tight embrace.

Frisk ran forward, accepting the hug. Sans's eye flared blue as bones pierced through the human. Frisk looked at him with eyes full of betrayal. "S-Sans?"

"Geettttttttttt dunked on!" Sans yelled. "If you're really my friend, you WON'T come back."

* * *

Frisk had never felt more enraged in their life. They had been betrayed by Sans. The last drop of pacifism towards the skeleton was gone. Chara was laughing the whole time. " _ **HAHAHA! YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN YOUR FACE! You deserved that Frisky…"**_

"I know I did." They responded. "But, just like everyone else… he betrayed me."

Chara scowled with hatred. " _ **Frisk… I don't understand… Why are you doing this? Why are you killing everyone? We… we could have been happy on the surface. There WOULD have been a way."**_

"... Chara… There is no way. I have tried everything."

Red strings tightened around the human... commanding them to fight.

" _ **You leave me no choice Frisk."**_

 _ ***Sans is preparing something…**_

Sans slammed them against the wall, trying to impale them with bones. Frisk, now being controlled by Chara, leapt over the bones. Sans switched their soul back to red. Chara ran in circles, dodging the bones. Sans slammed them on the wall before sending them down the Judgement Hall. Bones waited for them. Chara jammed the knife into the ground to prevent the bones from impaling them.

Everything distorted. More bones appeared from the ground as Chara jumped in timely fashion. Reality kept flickering. Sans slammed them on different walls, trying to drive bones through their body. They were too fast, and too determined.

But it wasn't them who was the most determined...

Gaster blasters appeared in a ring around the human. They ran in circles before Sans slammed them all over the walls.

1/92 HP

Sans did not use his turn. He threatened to keep the human there forever until they reset. However, the skeleton fell asleep on the job. Chara inched over to the skeleton, and struck with the knife. He dodged. "Heh, did you really think you'd be able to-" However, Chara sliced once more catching him off guard.

 **-999999999**

Ketchup oozed from his wounds. "... Heh… guess that's it then… Just don't say I didn't warn ya…" He stumbled off before falling to the ground. He looked up to thin air and, for once, Sans gave a real smile. "Papyrus, do you want anything?"

 _ ***Your LOVE has increased**_

The human stood in silence.

" _ **So Frisk… we have a choice… Reset, or face the consequences."**_

Frisk looked to the side in wonder. "I have worked so hard to get here. Why not see how this ends? I can just reset if anything goes wrong."

Those were not their words.

" _ **... Your choice."**_

Frisk walked into the throne room where Asgore stood. The light shone onto the flowerbed, showing the nostalgic buttercups. "Curious… I've never seen a plant… cry before…" He said in wonder. _Flowey._ Asgore turned to Frisk. "Oh! What kind of monster are you?" He said in a mocking tone. "Sorry I cannot tell."

Chara rushed him, seizing control over the shared body. "Now now," Asgore began. "There is no need to fight. Let's settle this over a nice cup of tea." Chara slashed through his armor, the knife not even slightly stuttering against hard metal.

 **-999999999999**

"W-Why you…" He started. Bullets appeared around Asgore, killing him for good. His soul, the key to the surface hovered before them. But, bullets surrounded that as well. They destroyed the last chance of going to the surface. _Flowey had once again saved the humans from Chara's wrath._

Flowey appeared with a pleading grin. "S-See it was all a trick! I-I never betrayed you." Chara advanced, a demonic smile on their face.

" _ **Frisky… you will get to SEE what consequences your actions hold."**_

Frisk's eyes widened. It felt as if they had been released from something's hold. "No… Chara please. I don't want to do this anymore. I'm sorry Chara. I'll never do it again!"

Flowey continued, "I was w-waiting to kill him f-for you! After all, we are friends, right?" Chara took another step forward. "I can be useful! I can help! I can..." Chara rose their knife into the air, looming over the poor imitation of their brother. "PLEASE DON'T KILL ME!"

"CHARA NO!"

" _ **ASRIEL YOU TRAITOR!"**_

 **-999999999999**

" _ **YOU NEVER LOVED ME!"**_

 **-999999999999**

" _ **IT WAS ALL LIES."**_

 **-999999999999**

" _ **I-I THOUGHT… we were friends Asriel…"**_

 **-999999999999**

" _ **YOU LIAR!"**_

 **-999999999999**

All that was left, was Frisk standing across from Chara. Chara seemed to not be staring towards Frisk, but to something behind them. The void stared back at the ghostly human. "C-Chara… please… I-I'm sorry!"

" _ **Greetings… I am Chara. Thank you… Your power awakened me from death…"**_

"Chara, what are you talking about?" Frisk's fear seized their mind.

" _ **My "human soul" My "determination" They were not mine, but YOURS. At first I was so confused. Our plan had failed, hadn't it? Why was I brought back to life? YOU."**_

Frisk started whimpering. "I-I promise I won't do it again. Stop scaring me."

" _ **With your guidance, I realized the purpose of my reincarnation. Power. Together, we eradicated the enemy and became strong. HP, ATK, DEF, GOLD, EXP, LV, Every time a number increases, that feeling… That's me. Chara."**_

"Chara?" Frisk called out in hopes their friend would hear them.

" _ **Now. Now we have reached the absolute. There is nothing left for us here. Let us erase this pointless world, and move on to the next."**_ Chara offered.

"I WON'T. The Chara I knew wouldn't stop at anything to get a happy ending! It's my fault you're like this! Please come back!"

Chara paused a moment before grinning. " _ **No…? Hmmm… How curious. You must have misunderstood. SINCE WHEN WERE YOU THE ONE IN CONTROL!?"**_

 _ **-99999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999999**_

Everything was gone. The world had been reduced to a black abyss. Frisk was left only with darkness around them. They couldn't load or reset. Chara was right. They were not in control.

Why did they have to be so stupid? Why couldn't they just not kill? They had destroyed their kind and nice friend, and turned them into a soulless _thing._ Frisk asked themself, "Why couldn't I be happy with our ending…"

" _ **Interesting…"**_ Chara's voice rang out. " _ **You want to go back. You want to go back to the world you destroyed. It was you who pushed everything to its edge. It was you who led the world to its destruction. But, you cannot accept it. You think you are above consequences."**_

"No… I'm not Chara. You taught me that…" Frisk answered.

" _ **Then what are you looking for?"**_

"A way out… A way for us to be happy again."

" _ **Perhaps… We can reach a compromise. You still have something I want. Give it to me, and I will bring this world back."**_

"Yes! Anything!"

" _ **Then it's agreed. You will give me your SOUL."**_

"I-I…" Frisk's voice caught in their throat. Could they really do this? "Yes."

" _ **... Then it is done."**_

A blinding white light swept across the abyss as everything was gone.

 **Frisk broke Chara... or did they? Who REALLY broke Chara?**

 **Sorry for being very vague with the timelines in between, but honestly most of that doesn't matter. It is mainly the genocide timeline that mattered due to the whole Chara thing**

 **Also... We are now at about 1,700 views! Out of those views, we have 14 reviews...**

 ***sad violin noises**

 **But nevertheless, thanks for the support you guys. Reviews are encouraged because I love hearing what you guys think!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Interlude Pt 4

Run #171

Frisk spared everyone. They wouldn't hurt a fly and made friends with care. They savored every moment. The surface was open, and the monsters were once again being discriminated by the humans. But… Frisk began to go numb. They couldn't feel anything.

Chara had taken advantage of the deal. They ended Toriel first, then picking off the other monsters through trickery and mind games. Frisk cried out for them to stop, but nobody came.

Chara then proceeded to kill the humans. One by one, the humans fell. Not even an army could stop Chara, as they would just reload a save until they could find a weakness in the plan. Eventually, the world was eradicated. So, Chara did it again, and again, and again. Sparing every monster, then murdering them. This was Frisk and the other humans' punishment. Frisk got to watch their friends die, while the humans paid for ruining their life.

Run #300

Chara decided Frisk could take control back. However, every time Frisk got to the surface, Chara would kill everyone, as normal. The human started trying to find a loophole to stop Chara. The ghostly human always mentioned how this was all Frisk's fault.

But it wasn't.

Run #376

Frisk's hope was dwindling. There was nothing for them, was there? They even went as far to try to explain resets to other monsters and ask for help. The monsters would think they were crazy and walk off. _Nothing worked…_

Run #489

Sans plopped down onto his bed for the 489th time. Had it really been that many resets? No matter how hard Sans tried, the kid always killed everyone in the end. He couldn't care anymore.

He flung himself over the side of his bed, putting on his slippers. "Welp, time to greet the human as normal." He said, quietly to himself. "Yep, good going Sans. Wait until the human is on the surface to kill them…" Then he internally groaned, "But, of course, they can just reload a damn save."

There was really nothing he could do. With a sigh, he snapped his fingers, teleporting to the entrance to the Ruins. Sure enough, there was the human. They were walking towards the bridge his brother made. Sans did his normal creepy following routine.

Frisk did the one thing they had not tried. It was so stupid when they first realized. In previous timelines, they had noticed that Sans had a lab. Maybe he could do something to stop the resets! So, Frisk went to the skeleton for help. " _Human… don't you know how to gr-"_

"Sans!" Frisk yelled, spinning around.

The skeleton flinched at first. He asked himself, "Why is Frisk acting so odd this timeline? Normally they just go on with the normal stuff…" The skeleton looked down at the human. "Heya kid."

"Sans, I need to talk to you."

Sans sighed in annoyance. Now Frisk wanted to talk? After all they had done, did Frisk REALLY think Sans would forgive them? Countless timelines were ruined. They would get to the surface, only for Frisk to swat them down like bugs. "So you're a human huh? That's hilarious!"

Frisk frowned, "Saaaans, this is important."

"I'm actually supposed to be hunting for humans right now…"

"SANS!" Frisk yelled, tugging on his jacket. "It's about the timelines."

Sans's eye turned blue as he slammed Frisk to the ground. "Kid, I REALLY wanted to just go along with this. Are you here to gloat about destroying our lives? What do you want?"

"C-Chara…" Frisk gasped for air. "I need help controlling the resets, Sans. It isn't me doing it."

"Then who is it Frisk? Who ELSE has the determination to reset. Not that weed, you overrode his determination. So who ELSE do you have to blame for your actions!" Sans retorted.

Frisk looked downward at the snow. "I-I am the reason the timelines are like this… But I want it to end. Please Sans, listen to me."

The skeleton sighed, looking over to where Papyrus would normally meet them. "Alright kid, you have five minutes." He gave a forced wink. "Follow me, I know a shortcut."

Papyrus walked into the area where Sans's post would be. It was also where Sans was _supposed_ to be working. He took a glance around and saw that Sans was not present. He facepalmed, thinking about how Sans never does his job.

* * *

"Here we are…" Sans said. They had teleported to his lab. The place was a wreck. Papers were misplaced, drawers were open, and dust resided over everything in the room. _Thankfully, it wasn't monster dust._ "Alright kid, get to the point."

Frisk sighed, "Where do I begin." They looked down in shame, "You remember the first time I killed everyone, right?"

Sans's expression sunk. _If they were here to gloat, bad wouldn't even describe the time they would be having._ "Yep, clear as day kiddo. Why do you ask?"

"Well," They scratched the back of their head. "After I… killed you, Chara, oh wait, you don't know Chara."

"Enlighten me."

"Well, when I first fell down here, Chara was there. They were the first fallen human. They said they would guide me through the underground. In return, I would try to free you all."

"Your first run… No, that was your second I guess." Sans muttered. "Alright, so the first fallen human is somehow inside of you? How did that happen?"

"My determination awakened them from death." Frisk shuddered, "Now, back to THAT timeline. I killed everyone because…" They paused. "I have no excuse actually. I was stupid."

Sans glanced to the side, "You're definitely right about that."

Frisk glared, "Yeah, whatever. So, after we killed you, Chara threatened that if I were to continue, there would be consequences. I didn't listen. Chara took control and killed Flowey and Asgore. Then, it was only us in an endless darkness. They became corrupt and requested that I erased the world."

Sans's pupils disappeared, "And did you?"

"N-No, I refused. But… Chara still did it anyways. Then, there was nothing left. Chara struck a deal with me. In order for me to bring the world back, I would have to give them my soul."

Sans gasped, "Please tell me you didn't do it, Frisk. Look, as much as I hate you right now…"

"I had to Sans. It was the only way to bring you all back." Frisk broke down into tears. "Every time I get to the surface, either the humans or Chara kill all of you. And, the first times I reset, it was because we couldn't bear to leave Asriel."

Sans's eye sockets widened, "Asriel? You mean the king and queen's son? Kid, he died years ago."

Frisk started laughing sadly, "You really think I broke the barrier Sans? Flowey would absorb all of your souls along with the six human souls. With them, he would resurrect his former self."

Sans shut his eyes in disbelief, "So many timelines… and I never noticed…" Silence passed between the two partners. "There is one way."

Frisk looked up with hope in their eyes. "Please, please show me!"

Sans stood up, walking over to the cover on the other side of the room. Frisk had never bothered to check what was under there. They knew it was a machine of sorts, but never figured out what it was. It was revealed to be a deformed version of a DT Extractor.

"Sans, you do realize this is in Alphys's lab, right?" Frisk asked, uncertain.

"Yeah, well the one Alphys has is just used for Extracting Determination. This bad boy is used for putting it into use and allowing you to manipulate it to the point of destruction. It's a dangerous tool, kid." Sans sighed, "It doesn't work at the moment. I need to give it a supply of Determination to use. But, it's a MASSIVE amount."

"How much do I have to offer?"

"Not enough. We need at least ten times your determination."

Frisk's eyes flickered with an idea. "Sans, I have seen a room that seems to not care about time. What if, you extract my determination, then I reset ten times and repeat the process!"

Sans seemed amused, "And how would you reset without determination?" That seemed to crush Frisk's hope. "But, I have an alternative. However, you are NOT gonna like it."

Frisk gave a determined glance to Sans. "Hit me."

"Let's extract Flowey's determination."

* * *

"There is noooo way I'm doing this." Flowey complained. "I am not going to be some test subject or whatever!"

Frisk sighed, "Asriel-"

"FLOWEY! NOT ASRIEL, FRISK!" He yelled in annoyance.

The human crossed their arms. "Asriel, do you want a happy ending?"

"I SAID DON'T CALL ME THAT!" The plants face twisted to a demonic state, "You just want to see me suffer."

"well weed," Sans began. "if you don't cooperate, then the timeline will fall over and over. Including you." His left eye flared blue.

"Ahahaha, let it fall then! Isn't that more fun!?" He bobbed back and forth.

Sans looked to Frisk before they both nodded. "sorry prince, but we are not letting this timeline fall." Sans's hand shot forward, picking up Flowey in a blue aura.

Flowey struggled to escape. "NOOOO! I WILL KILL YOU AND EVERYONE YOU LOVE! STUPID SMILEY TRASHBAG! I WILL END YOU!"

Frisk shrugged, "Sorry, Asriel, but I promise you, we will get you back this time."

"Whatever Frisk…"

* * *

Run #499

"Alright, are we done?" Flowey asked spinning lazily. The extraction had taken a dramatic effect every timeline. Sometimes he muttered things about the Flowey fan club.

"yep, we got all the determination we need to activate the machine." Sans responded. This was amazing. He could finally talk to his dad again. They could be free from the reset loops. Everything could go back to normal. He took a glance down at Frisk, "hey kid,"

Frisk looked up at the skeleton, tilting their head. "Yes?"

"thanks, thanks for everything."

"Uh, Sans, why are you thanking me? I got us here in the first place."

Sans glanced to the side, "eh, honestly, that never happened if we are following rules of time. so i forgive ya kid." He said winking. "Now…" he turned to the DT Extractor. "Let's get to work.

The DT Extractor had already been moved to the void room which they found in Waterfall. The room didn't follow the rules of time, so it could store Flowey's determination throughout time. Sans had decided that he would be the one to use it. After all, he was the only one who _really_ knew how it worked.

Frisk would wait with Flowey and reset if anything went wrong. And, the flower was currently in a daze and muttering random things. It was quite amusing.

Sans flicked a few switches on the extractor before it opened its mouth, waiting to transport to the void. Frisk shuffled their feet before saying, "Sans… please be careful."

Sans seemed taken aback. _Normally… Frisk would've not cared at all. They… really have changed…_ "heh, don't worry bout me kid. after all, you've seen my power." He winked.

Frisk did not answer due to the shame. Sans's expression softened when he realized he had mentioned something best left forgotten. The skeleton said nothing more and stepped into the machine. He could feel his consciousness fading as the machine closed. "here we go…"

 **Warning: I may or may not obliterate the fourth wall next chapter.**

 **Also, I have been trying to contact the other cover artists, aaaaaand the last one didn't respond.**

 **So, congrats to Underfan who gave me the amazing Cover Art!**

 **If any of you were still working on it, it's your fault for not responding.**

 **For those who did finish it, thank you for your submission!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Interlude Pt 5**

Sans's consciousness zoomed through time and space. He passed different timelines, universes, even completely different worlds entirely. The universes seemed connected to Sans's timeline, but the other worlds? Those worlds seemed to exist in a different format.

It boggled his mind. Most of these worlds had a so called "hero" killing without hesitation. Others were just normal lives being lived. Some were just things in reality, things that Sans saw on the surface. There were so many possibilities.

"You shouldn't look at those for too long…" A voice behind him said.

Sans immediately recognized the familiar voice. He whirled around embracing his dad, W. D. Gaster. "D-Dad… I-I never thought I'd see you again…"

"As did I…" The taller skeleton answered. "But, this isn't the only reason you are here, correct?" He asked, placing his hands behind his back.

Sans sighed, "I need your help with something. I can explain it in full but-"

"No need." Gaster interrupted. "I have already seen your problems and downfalls. I have something planned already to help us." He turned to the many worlds which were floating in the darkness with no bounds. "Interesting… isn't it?"

Sans looked to the worlds as well. "Yeah, I can't quite figure out what these are…"

"These Sans… are different realities. Anything imaginable can be in one of these worlds. There are an infinite amount, stretching across the void. It makes you seem really small, doesn't it?" Gaster chuckled, "But… we have business… am I right Sans Serif?"

"Heh, yeah G. So… do you have any ideas?"

Gaster grinned, "Why yes I do Sans. Follow me and we can get to business." He walked towards a doorway. "Oh and here is a lab coat for old times sake. I thought it would spruce up everything." He said with a wink.

"Heh, sure thing G. Oh, and please try to not have another CORE incident…" Sans said, glancing to the side.

"Don't worry Sans, this will go perfectly fine." The duo walked into the main room. Gaster's grin widened. After all these timelines… everyone could be free. "Alright Sans! It's finally time to put this into motion!"

"Uh doc? How are you sure this is going to work?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. Sans was worried about all of this. He normally wasn't one to worry, but he had a bad feeling about this.

Gaster scoffed, "Sans, you know me better than anyone. I always check my variables multiple times and make no mistakes. We will have this project done today."

"Look G," Images of the CORE incident flashed through Sans's head. He couldn't let that happen again. "How do we know this won't end up like the _last_ time you said that?" He squinted. "Hell, we aren't even existing in time right now. What happens when you get erased from where you went when you were erased?"

"Don't worry Sans," He waved his hand, opening up a door. "We will end this reset loop." They both walked into a room with a large machine containing a vessel. Gaster grinned at Sans's shocked expression.

"W-Wait," He stuttered, "Gaster that's impossible! Creating a soul requires incredible strength. You can't-"

Gaster shushed Sans. "Exactly, I need something more powerful. Which is why I have this!" He whipped out a container containing a golden shard. It was none other than the amalgamated soul of Chara and Asriel.

Sans's eye sockets widened as his grin faltered. "You can't be serious… You took Asriel's soul? G, you do realize that… how, why?" Sans seemed to realize something horrible. "But… Chara is also combined with that soul. That's dangerous!" He glanced to the side. If Chara got loose again with their own soul… Frisk couldn't force a reset.

"I was able to recover the soul before he died." _With his time mechanics of course._ "Also, Chara is not a threat if I alter time…" Gaster said. His eyes twinkled with determination. "I can do this, and I will no matter what the cost."

Sans sighed, "There is no stopping you, is there?"

"You know me too well Sans." Gaster grinned. He placed the shard in the vessel of the machine. Sans recognized it as an upgraded DT Extractor similar to his.

The fragment began to hover in the vessel. Gaster had to admit, this was an insane idea. But, he had seen stranger things happen. If this did not work, the timeline would fall. Everything depended on this one moment.

Gaster motioned for Sans to operate a control panel near the back. He, himself, was flipping various levers. 'Soul essence extraction active.' "Let's hope this works Sans." Gold essence began spewing out of the soul and into various tubes. 'Soul creation in progress.' "IT'S WORKING SANS!" He yelled. The gold shard was gone and was being replaced by a red, full, heart.

Gaster could not believe his eyes. It had worked! "A human soul, infused with the magic of the Dreemurr family and the strength of Chara." Gaster tossed the soul upwards, watching in awe as it floated back to his hand.

Sans was shocked. How had this crazy idea worked? "Uh G? Now where and how are you going to place it in time? That's not an easy feat." There HAD to be a catch. Sans wouldn't believe it. Would all of this finally come to an end?

"I am positive that the prince's death would be an optimal place to put project S-3. It would make him realize his hatred for humanity." His eyes lit up with an idea. "I know… put him with Chara. Maybe it will soften that hard soul of theirs." He chuckled. "And for the how… all I need to do is inject it with determination, the ability to change fate." Sans was getting nervous about all of this. How had Gaster already thought this all through? Well, the monster knew much already…

"But what about afterwards? The kid would reset anyway because they can't save Asriel. That's nearly a one hundred year gap." Here was the catch. Sans was now certain this wouldn't work.

His smile widened. "I will extract it from the timeline, kill anyone close to it, and there. It will be like only a few years have passed. "He won't even know he was gone."

This was barbaric. Sans was a judge for King Asgore. He would look into people's souls and judge them for their sins. This was not right. Sans turned back to Gaster, "And… you're just going to torture him like this? Why can't you just let him know his purpose instead of alluding it to him?" No one deserved to be put through this.

Gaster's expression turned grim. "It's for the greater good Sans. It will see that. And if it knew, it would revolt immediately. We need all things to go according to plan."

"Yeah? Well why do you have to kill everyone? And what's with the 'it' thing. Can't you just-"

Gaster lashed out. He grabbed Sans by the wrist in a death hold. "SANS YOU WILL NOT DISOBEY BE! I AM HELPING YOU ESCAPE THE RESET LOOPS. BE GRATEFUL!"

"Dad… I-"

Gaster let go, clutching his head. _What had he just done?_ "I-I'm sorry Sans. It's just that I cannot stand seeing my own sons suffer anymore. What would the life of one mean against the lives of many? And when… he… has served his purpose, I'm sure he will see what hope he has brought to us."

"But, is there any other way?"

"I'm afraid not Sans. This is the only way to prevent the resets." He said with regret. "This is our last chance. It can even bring me back!" Gaster exclaimed.

Sans's hope came back in an instant. "Y-You really think so? You really think this soul will be able to do that?"

Gaster wouldn't want to tell Sans exactly _how_ the human would bring him back. That would only lead to further resistance. "Sans, I need to ask you a favor. Take care of this human. You must keep them on the correct path."

"You got it G!"

"Alright then Sans, I assume you have a timeline waiting for you?"

Sans turned back to where they had come from. "Heh, yeah, see you on the other side?" He asked reluctantly.

"I'll see you too Sans." Gaster said waving. Sans walked through the door, leaving his dad behind. His consciousness was pulled away from the lab, and brought back to reality.

Gaster bowed his head and turned to a room with a grey door. This had always been the room he hated the most. It reminded him of past failures. Countless timelines that had fallen… But, that was not why he was here.

Clutching the soul, Gaster made his way to a red thread stretching across the room. This was the current timeline. It branched out in many different paths, but one shone brighter than the others. This was the current path the anomaly was taking.

The timeline would have to be reset for this to work, however. But, Frisk would be sure to do that. The human knew a good bit about timelines. Gaster stretched his hands over the thread. The soul hovered before him, pulsing vibrantly. Gold spread across the thread, reaching back to a few years before Asriel's death so it could remember everything.

If his calculations were correct, the human would be around ten by the time of Asriel's death. Then, Gaster would have to extract him from the timeline. But, it would probably take a year to get rid of anyone close to him.

Gaster let the gold stretch another year before cutting it off. He then began forming the new thread, one hundred years later. There would need to be a bit of time before Frisk would fall, to allow time for the human to mature. Then, the plan could be set into motion.

It was complete. The timeframe was perfectly set and the soul was ready to transport. All they had to do is wait for a reset and the changes would be permanent. Gaster could already feel time slipping away. He shut his eyes as the timeline shifted.

 _*Timeline saved..._

 ** _Did you guys see where the fourth wall fell? Whoooooooops_**

 ** _Sorry I just had to xD_**

 ** _The next chapter will finish off the interlude and bring us back to the regular story._**

 ** _ALTERNATE ENDING TO THE CHAPTER_**

Sans's consciousness zoomed through time and space. He passed different timelines, universes, even completely different worlds entirely. The universes seemed connected to Sans's timeline, but the other worlds? Those worlds seemed to exist in a different format.

It boggled his mind. Most of these worlds had a so called "hero" killing without hesitation. Others were just normal lives being lived. Some were just things in reality, things that Sans saw on the surface. There were so many possibilities.

Suddenly, a human wearing a red hoodie, with a computer in his hand, appeared from thin air. He frowned before saying, "This isn't a crossover."

Suddenly teh world blew up and everyone ded

Teh End

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22: The Final Run**

Run #500

The rain was pouring down on me. I was soaked as I walked home. My jacket did nothing to keep the rain from seeping through the cloth. Well, it was better than my "home." Ever since the whole monster incident, I have had quite the name for myself. No one approached me. If they did, it was a threat or a mock. Of course I had to walk away to avoid hurting anyone.

My parents? They… they did love me still. But, I felt like they never saw me as their child anymore. It was hard, but I was determined to keep going. Even if it meant all the hard things I was going through. I had to do it for them. I didn't want to disappoint them again.

I took a deep breath before opening the front door. I would probably get an earful because I was freaking wet. As usual, I heard fighting from upstairs. This happened literally every time my dad came back. This was one of those times.

With a sigh I walked to my room, not bothering to eavesdrop. Trying to help wouldn't work either. I always made things worse between them. I just held them back from being happy. More yells could be heard from the other room. I groaned, flopping on my bed.

Suddenly, it was as if everything had gone silent. I was confused. They normally didn't just _end_ a fight like that. Someone would always get their way, and the other one would have to suffer. But this? This was odd.

I hopped off of my bed, being sure to stay quiet. This was not good. Why were they so silent? For once in my life I wished I could hear them fighting. The silence was killing me.

I cautiously crept into their room. The lights were off now. _Maybe they were just asleep?_ I opened the door further, finally seeing the truth. They were dead.

My parents bodies were lying on the floor, motionless. Blood stained the carpet. I had seen the wounds that they held on their chests. I had seen in first-hand. That was a wound made by magic.

I heard a creak behind me. I jumped trying to find the source. Three men stood there. Purple, orange, and yellow cloaks covered them. I had seen them the day that monster came. Magic pinned me to the wall as they were motionless. The purple one finally stepped forward, slashing me with a blade. The other two only watched as I was beaten senseless. I tried to call for help, but nobody came.

Finally, I fell to the ground, being released of the magical binds. I could feel my life slipping away quickly. 'So this is how it ends?' I thought, shutting my eyes. 'I failed everyone…'

Yet, something inside of me broke. I would not die here. I couldn't die. Focusing all I had left, my soul fused back together, sending a fiery shockwave. The hooded men yelled, trying to finish me off. Luckily, the house had caught on fire from the blast. The ceiling tumbled down as I leapt through the wreckage. Gasping for breath, I fled to the woods, running as fast as I could.

I had to make sure no one would find me again. I had caused too many people pain. If I wanted to die so much, why did I live? Why did I suddenly refuse to die? I stumbled to the ground, getting drenched in mud. Exhausted, I didn't move from that spot, and passed out, _never to be seen again._

* * *

Gaster sighed as he watched the scene occur. Ever since Sans had convinced him that he was killing innocent people, this had been hard to watch. Gaster knew someone would kill his parents at this time, but he didn't know who exactly. Being that this has never happened in any timeline, he didn't know what to predict.

The scientist was surprised when the magi came to kill them. It made Gaster's blood boil. Or rather, his magic because monsters don't have blood. The same magicians that had trapped the monster race underground, were the ones who had finished the job. But then again, Gaster was the one who set this into motion.

He watched the screen, where he monitored the project, intensely. This… was not supposed to happen. The magi turned on the project and began attacking it. No, the plan couldn't fall yet! But, as Gaster watched, he saw something that made him gasp in surprise. The soul refused to break.

This human could match the determination of Frisk. But, that means they could tap into the reset ability. However, Gaster didn't think Sans or Frisk would say anything about resets to anyone. Chara, however, was a wildcard.

He had seen the bond those two shared. Gaster had never seen Chara genuinely happy. And, Chara told Asriel to spare the project. This was interesting. Had they finally gotten through to Chara? That being said, Chara would be reluctant to reset the timeline later on if things went to plan. Or, if they took too long… well… Gaster had plans for the demon child.

Gaster turned his attention back to the human. They had managed to make it out alive, the magi not bothering to make chase. This was it. This was when Gaster would have the chance to pull him out of the timeline. Gaster flipped many levers near the timeline threads and the gold began resonating.

The human disappeared from the screen, appearing in the void. He hovered in a large glass container to preserve the body and soul. The deed was done. Now if Gaster could time this correctly, he would appear about ninety eight years later. Which, if his calculations were correct, a few years before Frisk would fall and free the monsters.

This was it… No turning back now.

* * *

The human let out a scream as they fell from the hole into the depths of Mt. Ebott. No matter how many resets, that drop always surprised them. They always seemed to slow down before they hit the bottom, however. Frisk found out that Toriel had placed an enchantment on the room to keep humans who fell from dying from past resets.

This was the 500th run. Sans had said the timeline could be fixed now. All Frisk had to do now was go through the underground sparing everyone. And they would NOT let Chara hae control.

" _ **F-Frisk! WHAT DID YOU DO TO ME?"**_ The child suddenly yelled, catching Frisk off guard. " _ **What is this feeling? ANSWER ME!"**_

"I-I don't know?"

" _ **Oh like you don't know. Last timeline I take my eyes off of you for a second and you did something. WHAT DID YOU DO FRISK?"**_

"I-It was to help the timeline Chara. W-We c-can save A-Asriel. J-Just like you wanted." Frisk stuttered. "It w-wasn't meant to a-affect you that m-much."

" _ **Frisk… my memories have changed."**_

Frisk's eyes widened, "Uh, how much?"

" _ **Don't worry, everything is as normal, except someone new in my past. This certain someone is a human."**_

"What's so special about that?"

" _ **A human… with magic."**_

"R-Really? That shouldn't be possible. Humans can't use magic!"

" _ **Do you know what's worse Frisk? I can talk to him. Just… finish the timeline and get to business. We don't have time for this."**_

"Fine." Frisk huffed, exiting the first room and proceeding to where Flowey would normally stop them.

The plant bobbed back and forth with a cheesy grin. "Howdy! Did your little plan work? Or did it fail like everything else you've tried…"

"Well, something happened." Frisk said. "We don't exactly know what it is."

Flowey's face turned demonic, "And how do you know this new thing won't end us all? Smiley Trashbag might have just wanted to stop resets by any means necessary."

Frisk rolled their eyes. Why would Sans kill exactly? If the timeline could go perfectly fine without any death, Sans would take the opportunity. Not bothering with Flowey, Frisk proceeded on with their adventure.

"HEY! DON'T IGNORE ME!" Flowey yelled, burrowing underground.

* * *

How? How had they been so careless? Chara let out a sad sigh of distress. Before them laid two options. Reset, or Quit. Dying to Asriel had been physically and emotionally painful. Chara had seen that their mission was a success. Asriel was now happily living with a soul… But, they didn't want to leave either of us behind…

Is this what death felt like? The total loss of everyone you ever loved. Both Asriel and I would be dealing with emotional pain, maybe even Frisk. No, Chara had hurt Frisk too much. They would never forgive them. And, Chara couldn't back either of us up. Their time was up, wasn't it?

Chara hesitantly stretched a hand over to the reset button. Maybe they could try again and not die. But, the problem with that was, would the timeline remain the same? No, it most likely wouldn't. This was the happy ending everyone wanted. Chara couldn't take that away anymore.

The differences in the timeline really did change them. They bowed their head, taking their hand off the reset button, and bringing it to the quit button. "Sorry, Bennett, but I am happy with my decision. Take care of Azzy for me, will ya?" They said, smiling as the button activated. Their soul hovered from their chest, fading away, destroyed forever.

* * *

"Just as planned… Goodbye Chara, you will be bothering the timelines no longer."

Interlude End

 **And with that, we end the interlude**

 **This is one of my shorter Chapters just so we can wrap up the interlude.**

 **This is most likely the last we will see of Chara unless it's a flashback type thing.**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23: You Can Change

Sans's words lingered in my ears. What was all of that? What did this all mean? Who was Gaster? My head started aching from all the questions. I just needed to calm down. Wait… how can I calm down when I don't even know where the hell I am?

I opened my eyes, seeing I was positioned on Sans's couch. So, whatever I saw most likely was another hallucination… Fun. But, they had gotten more real lately. People could now interact with me. What did this all mean?

Then the realization hit. "What is everyone going to do with me? I ran off carelessly and caused them so much trouble." I buried my face in my hands. "Why am I even still HERE? They should have just forgotten about me."

Maybe if I just disappeared forever they would finally be free from me. I was a problem that needed to just disappear. Well, it seemed no one was around at the time. Why not just get out so they can just be in peace? But, then again, these guys would stop at nothing to keep me here. Why was that? Why did they even care so much about me? I just showed up one day and now I'm friends with them?

This was getting stupid now. It would be better if I just left them and they forgot about me, but they WON'T forget. They refuse to leave me alone. With all these negative emotions, I was just a setback. Then I realized, why aren't my eyes lighting up when I'm feeling this way? They normally do when I'm angry.

I finally took note to a strange feeling on my arm. I lifted it up, seeing a sort of wrist band with a control panel on it. _They restricted my magic._ So they were THAT determined to keep me here? What were they playing at? My hoodie was also absent. Did I say hoodie? I meant the torn up piece of cloth that I wore all the time.

It seemed really dark outside. Everyone must have been asleep right now. So that was probably why I didn't get the motivation talk from Sans. No doubt he was taking a well deserved nap. It was five in the morning. That meant…

"HUMAN!"

 _Why…_

"AH, SO YOU ARE FINALLY AWAKE!" Papyrus flung down the stairs, landing on his feet. Interestingly enough, he had finally chosen a different style than his battle body. The normal armor was replaced with a casual orange hoodie and jeans. That scarf still stayed on him, however. "SANS TOLD ME THAT YOU NEED SOME SUPPORT! SO, I HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE SPAGHETTI FOR YOU UNTIL YOU FEEL BETTER!"

My stomach did a flip when he mentioned spaghetti. That was not fun the last time. "Uh, Papyrus, I don't think I'm really up for eating anything right now." I said, trying to act polite.

"NONSENSE! MY SPAGHETTI MAKES EVERYONE FEEL BETTER!" He said, waving me off. _Papyrus no…_

"uh, paps," For once I was happy to see Sans dropping in randomly. But at five in the morning? "i don't think that the human needs food right now."

He seemed slightly disappointed, "WELL… THEN I WILL HAVE TO MAKE SOME LATER! MAYBE I CAN GET UNDYNE TO HELP!"

"good idea paps, why don't you make a run to the store though. i think we are all out…"

"BUT SANS, I JUST BOUGHT S-" Papyrus opened the fridge, revealing no spaghetti. There was only a single white dog in the fridge. Papyrus's face began turning red with rage. "THAT MEDDLING MUTT! I WILL CATCH YOU DOGGIE!" He yelled.

The dog scampered up to its feet. Papyrus made a lunge for it, but it quickly evaded, rushing out the door. Papyrus followed in pursuit with his scarf flowing behind him. This left me and Sans in the room, alone.

 _More Sans tries to motivate me but ends up making me feel guilty instead!_

Sans scratched the back of his head, "heh, sorry about that. getting rid of paps is a hard process." I didn't respond. His grin faltered a bit. "why? Why do you keep running off?" I shrugged, avoiding eye contact. "So, you refuse to talk to me… Well then, I guess I'm gonna just sit here and monologue until I get a reaction.

 _Sure, go ahead. Make me feel guilty. Make me feel like an idiot. Judge me Sans. Do what you do best and burn a hole right through me._

"Heh, fine then kiddo. You asked for it." _He had just read my thoughts…_ "You ran off randomly without telling anyone where you were going. We all flipped out." His pupils disappeared, "When will you understand that we WANT to take care of you?"

"When will you understand that I'm a lost cause Sans?" I shot back. "Maybe I want to disappear."

"Maybe if you stopped your self-pity schtick then we could talk." He said, his voice becoming more hostile. "I can't understand what made you like this."

I sighed, "You want to know? Aside from the fact that I saw my friend get killed and then hearing from you it was a relief, I don't understand why you guys are so caring? Why did you even want me here in the first place?"

"Why not?" He asked, shoving his hands in his pockets. "I mean, you expect us to leave you out there to die?"

I arched a brow. Most humans wouldn't bat an eye. They would most likely just turn you into an orphanage. "Yes, that was exactly what I expected you to do."

Sans facepalmed, the pinpricks of light coming back. "You're a mess kiddo."

"Just noticed?" I retorted, suddenly relieved. Someone was finally real and straightforward with me. "You still haven't explained what happened with Chara. Why did you not trust them?"

The lights in Sans's eye sockets dimmed. "Uh, well, you said you were seeing weird things, right? Like the red slash across me. I'm guessing you saw something on you causing you to faint." I nodded in response. Those hallucinations had taken a toll on me. "Did you see anything while you were out?"

Here it was, the question of the day. "Yes…" I answered, unsure of what he would say. "There was this lab. You and a man named Gaster were up to something…"

"Say no more kid." Sans's smile had vanished. "I know exactly what it was."

My heart sunk. I was hoping that it didn't really happen. "So… it happened then. Was that… my soul?"

Sans looked to the ground. "Yep, the same one."

There was no need to push it further. Everything clicked right there. "I knew something was up when I woke up two years ago. Everything was different. I just… didn't exactly know what to do. I thought that maybe I had just gone the wrong way or something. Or maybe this was a strange dream that I couldn't wake up from."

"Gaster thought he had to do this. I tried to stop him, but… he is hard to persuade." Sans sat down next to me. "Listen, I-I'm sorry about everyone who died kid. I wish I had tried harder to stop it."

I let out a small laugh. "They never loved me…" I said in pain. Sans looked at me in worry. "H-How could a f-few monsters who found me, care about me more t-than a mother and father."

"Heh, I know the feeling kiddo…" He responded. "But hey, at least you didn't work yourself down to the _bone_ finding us."

"Saannnnns." I groaned in distress. Why must he make puns at the worst time.

"All jokes aside kid, we aren't letting you out of our sight, whether you like it or not."

I crossed my arms in a sarcastic manner. "Fiiiiine. But… I don't know if everyone will be as forgiving as you."

"Well," Oh boy, Sans always knew how to counter me. "Paps already forgave you. Toriel being the mother-like figure did. Frisk did quickly. Well, literally everyone except for Asgore."

The king of all monsters was still mad at me. I wouldn't blame him, but he is a king. That sent shivers down my spine. "Uh, is he livid right now? Or just slightly mad?"

Sans's grin widened, "he is a big fuzzy pushover. i'm sure he won't hold it against you."

A silence passed between us. "Wait," My eyes widened, "What about Asriel?"

The skeleton didn't respond for a moment. "Well," He scratched the back of his skull, "The prince hasn't been doing well lately. I'm sure that you've seen an absence of one of your eyes?"

"Yes?" I said, being unsure about what was coming next.

"Well, I'm gonna have to do a little more research on this, but somehow, Asriel now has a golden eye." Noticing my shock, Sans continued before I could ask any questions. "Yes, it's painful for him. Alphys has been able to level it down a bit and help him, but…"

"But what?"

Sans sighed, "He won't forgive himself for what happened in the void. It's taking a toll on him. Tori is trying all she can."

"I-I can try to talk to him."

"That may not be the best idea." Sans responded quickly.

"Why?" I asked, cocking my head.

"Well, the fact that he is now terrified of you from… well… killing him." _Oh boy…_ "And, Frisk doesn't want you near him either."

I thought for a moment. This was obviously a tough spot. I couldn't really do anything until his fear of me went away. Then, a mischievous grin spread across my face, "I ship it."

Sans's grin spread quickly across his face. "wow, just wow."

"Ah, I can see it now. Friskriel ships as far as the eye can see." I said, spreading my hands out to exaggerate my point.

Sans had doubled over with laughter. "Y-You already have a ship name? Kid, just stop."

I winked, "Do you know what else I ship?"

"W-What else do ya ship kiddo?" He asked, trying to contain himself.

A sly grin spread across my face. "You and Toriel."

At that, my soul turned blue as I flew across the room. Sans and I were both still laughing, despite the fact he still had me pinned on the wall. "Never… heh, EVER, ship that again."

"Dawww," I said mockingly. "But Soriel had potential. Or is it Tans? Nah, Soriel has a ring to it." I gave a mischievous wink, "I ship it like Fedex."

Sans released me with a groan. "Do not say anything to Toriel. We aren't in a relationship."

I rolled my eyes, "Oh suuuuure. Even Papyrus knows."

"I KNOW WHAT?" Neither of us had noticed Papyrus had come in.

Sans shot me a look that said, "DON'T"

"That he is in love with Toriieeeeel."

Papyrus's smile grew larger as his eye sockets widened. Sans gave me a death stare. "AH SANS! STOP DENYING IT. WE ALL KNOW THAT YOU HAVE SOMETHING FOR ASGORE'S CLONE."

Sans snapped his fingers, disappearing in a blue light. "I'm done…" He said with an annoyed tone. We saw the light seep through the cracks of his room. We had just gotten Sans embarrassed.

Papyrus was trying to keep himself from laughing. What was supposed to be a long talk with Sans, ended up being an embarrassing ship time. Then I realized, Papyrus had gone to get spaghetti. _NOOOOOOOO._ "HUMAN. I WAS NOT ABLE TO FIND ANY SPAGHETTI."

Inside, I was relieved. On the outside, I acted normal. "Oh, that's fine Papyrus."

"SO! GUESS WHAT WE MUST DO HUMAN!" He said, his grin widening.

I knew exactly what he was referring to. "Do you have a key?" As soon as I said that, six-foot long bones shot up in front of Sans's door. He knew what we were doing. "Welp, nevermind then."

Papyrus let out a groan of despair. We were so close to pushing Sans to his limit. "HMM, I WOULD TAKE YOU TRAINING WITH UNDYNE AND I, BUT SANS TOLD ME YOU NEEDED TO STAY IN THE HOUSE FOR NOW."

I sighed internally. I was stuck here then. Nothing was going to get better if I didn't do something. Well, there was really nothing I could do there. Patience was not one of my virtues. Papyrus decided to go off to wherever he and Undyne would be meeting. Sans still had yet to exit his room.

I moaned, flopping onto the couch and flipping on the TV. This was going to be a boring day.

This was so boring. I was essentially under house arrest. Not to mention, my magic was still restricted. At least when Papyrus had come back he had some puzzles. They at least got me through the day which seemingly dragged on. No one else really visited.

When night finally fell, I was more than happy to knock myself out. Papyrus had brought pie back from Toriel's house. She wanted to spare me from Papyrus's spaghetti. Sans had finally appeared from his room to make sure Papyrus didn't stuff the pie with his spaghetti.

He also mentioned that monsters were finally going to visit. That's when I realized what this day was all about. They were testing to see if I was safe to be around. Magic or not, I could still injure one of them.

Sleep finally overtook me after many failed attempts. Papyrus was persistent in staying awake. According to him, the day didn't have enough time to get everything done. In result, he kept me up forever. At least it was better than sitting around bored.

* * *

Asriel woke up in a cold sweat, panting heavily. It was just another nightmare. He had these ever since he gained a soul. They were getting worse. He looked over to his still sleeping sibling. Frisk hadn't budged a bit.

Frisk had been trying to protect him ever since he came back. It was comforting, but Frisk was delaying the inevitable. Nothing was going to change unless he would be forgiven for what he did. Everyone had, except for one person...

He had to do this. Nothing was going to get better if he didn't do anything. Frisk would be mad at him, but if things worked, it would be worth it. Asriel was never good at sneaking out of the house. Frisk luckily didn't wake up as he opened their shared bedroom.

No lights were on in the hallway. Good, Asriel needed all the time he could get. He cautiously tip toed over to the front door, slinging on a coat. He opened the front door, darting off into the direction of Sans and Papyrus's house. He was thankful it hadn't started raining yet. Storm clouds had already filled the sky.

This was a stupid decision. He could easily get killed. And, Asriel had felt what happened. Frisk would no longer be able to load a save file. Someone had overwritten them just as Frisk had overwritten Flowey a while ago.

Asriel approached the front door of the skeleton's house. He shut his eyes, trying to concentrate. Luckily, the right was no longer burning. He had learned to control it slightly. With a sigh, Asriel opened the front door of the skeleton's house, and hoped nothing would go wrong.

* * *

I was jolted awake by the sound of the door opening. 'Dammit Papyrus, how much longer will you be awake?' I thought in annoyance. I didn't bother to look at who it was. Moving was off the table, as I didn't want to fully wake up.

I could hear quiet shuffling coming towards me. Papyrus was taking his sweet time to wake me up and check if I have been sleeping. _Yes, he literally kept asking me if I was sleeping._ Then I realized something, Papyrus would be making more noise than this. Whoever was here, wanted to be quiet, but not too quiet.

"Psst," I heard a voice belonging to the figure say. I didn't want to move. Judging by the tone of voice, they were friendly. "H-Hey, are you awake?" I now recognized who the voice belonged to. Who the hell let Asriel sneak out?

I didn't respond, trying to get him to go home. As much as I can forgive him, it doesn't mean I can't hurt him. All it takes is one bad timed hallucination and I could hurt him. Hurt him similar to how I nearly hurt Red. I wondered what happened to Red.

Asriel seemed to walk to the front of the couch, sitting down. I could see him facing the opposite way from me. He was a wreck. "I-I understand if you can't forgive me." His voice was so soft and scared. "You d-don't have to. You guys…" He gave a sad laugh, "You went through hell and back to save me. And… that's how I repaid you?"

What was I supposed to do? He obviously assumed I was still asleep. Asriel continued on, "I don't deserve your forgiveness. You already gave me my chances." He buried his head in his arms. We both stayed there in utter silence. The only noise was his sobbing.

"C-Chara trusted me…" He said. "And… I…" He paused, his breath hitching, "Because of me, Chara is gone. I don't know what to do. I-I failed everyone again. And then, everything you did for me… I threw it all away." He finally stood up in silence. His fur was matted with tears. "There is no excuse for what I've done. I-I just hope that someday you'll be able to be happy."

I couldn't take it anymore. Asriel, after everything everyone has told him, still couldn't forgive himself. As soon as he stood up, I could see how much pain he had dealt with. He prepared to turn away, before something stopped him.

Before he had any time to react, I jumped up from my position on the couch, wrapping my arms around him. It was my turn to cry. Hesitantly, Asriel accepted the hug, still trembling. I quietly whispered, "Asriel, you did everything right. Yet, you were the one left alone."

He started crying harder. "I deserved to stay that way. I-"

I hugged him tighter, refusing to let go. "Asriel, I'm sure Chara is happy if you are. They would have wanted us to move on."

"I… I thought you were mad at me. How? How can you just… forgive me like that."

"I could ask you the same question Asriel." I said, trying to keep all of my emotions in check. "You guys gave me chance after chance to do the right thing. You forgave me for everything I did. I couldn't have asked for better friends." _Friends…? No… I think they were more to me than that. More than I realized at least._

We finally detached from our hug. Asriel wiped a tear from his eye. "I-I have to go now. I'm sorry I bothered you."

Before he turned to walk out the door, I grabbed his shoulder. He turned around, a bit confused. I smiled, "Hey, if you ever need anything, I'm right here."

Asriel's expression seemed to light up. "That's weird…"

"What's weird?" I asked, curiously.

He gave a warm grin. "I've never seen you smile before."

I was taken aback. He really hadn't… "Ah, I'm fine Asriel. I hadn't really noticed…"

Asriel seemed deep in thought for a moment before turning back towards the door. "I really have to go. Frisk is probably getting worried." He said with panic in his voice.

I gave a wave, "See ya Asriel." He waved back, running out the door. I muttered under my breath, internally grinning, "This ship will work."

All jokes aside, I was glad we got that out of the way. Hopefully, he could forgive himself too. And, maybe I could forgive myself as well. I was just like Asriel in a sense. We were both completely lost.

Surprisingly, neither of the skeletons had woken up during that. They were probably still exhausted from the chase a few days ago. Well, it worked out for us. _Tomorrow is another day._

* * *

"Hm…"

"Those two… I remember what that felt like."

"To have hope…"

"...No"

"I… I can't think about these things."

"That soul was made for one ultimate purpose."

"If I have to break everyone apart for it, so be it."

 **Sidenote: These ships are jokes in the story and are not meant to be taken seriously.**

 **Reviews are for some reason not appearing on the review page. I have done some research and this is a site glitch. I can still see your reviews through email, so don't worry. It will be fixed soon.**

 **Also, I am getting a new computer for my birthday hopefully. (If not, I'm buying it on my own.) I will be making an attempt at animating and gameplay on youtube. If you want to subscribe, my channel name is "The Legendary PunMaster" EDIT: Still no computer... Probably won't get it till Christmas XD**

 **Aaaaaanyways maybe if I get off of my lazy butt, I will get some good content out there for you all ;)**

 **Reviews are encouraged**

 **I just realized I have been using my old website name... wow**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**

 **(I did it right XD)**


	24. Chapter 24

**Chapter 23: Oops**

I was rudely awoken by a loud knock on the door. Normally, Papyrus would answer it. Seeing as he wasn't awake, I walked over to the door and groggily opened it. My eyes squinted as millions of cameras began flashing.

A large black and pink robot stood in the door. Many reporters stood outside the doorway, rapidly asking question. The robot stuck its… tongue out. "Hello beauties~. Today we are here to finally see who is behind the return of the prince~." It said in a sassy voice.

I crossed my arms. Of course this would happen! It's not like a prince would just come back and no one would try to find out the story behind it. Immediately, I shut the door on them. I was not having any of their crap.

The door knocked again, louder this time. I groaned. "SANS! WAKE UP!" I yelled up to his room. He would be able to handle them better than Papyrus.

I heard groans of protest from upstairs. "five more minutes…"

So this is what parents felt like. "SANS!" I yelled again, "IF YOU DON'T GET DOWN HERE, A PINK AND BLACK ROBOT WILL SCAR ME FOR LIFE."

Immediately, Sans's door flung open. His eye was blazing blue as he teleported to the front door. He swung it open as the robot looked disgusted. Sans was clearly irritated. The robot struck a dramatic pose for no reason before remarking, "How rude."

Sans summoned a bone in his hand, tossing it in the air before catching it with skill. "You have thirty seconds to get off my property."

"Ohoho, Sansy~." The robot retorted, obviously making Sans angry. "You know that you wouldn't."

"Mettaton," Sans's pupils disappeared, "Do you want to have a bad time?" Mettaton flinched backwards. Sans's pupils reappeared before he faced the crowd. "We aren't ready to give you info. If you respect that, then leave the queen and king alone as well." He slammed the door, for the second time of the day on Mettaton.

"What is with that guy?" I asked, annoyed. "It's like six in the morning."

Sans grunted, "that's mettaton, alphys made him and… he just got back from a small tour after coming to the surface. he must have heard about recent events…" He was not happy at all.

"Who wouldn't?" I said shrugging. "Also, why isn't Papyrus up yet?"

"heh, he worked himself down to the _bone_ last night. he needed a break." His eye sockets widened as if he remembered something, "oh, right… tori is coming today. i told her you needed space, but… heh, you know her."

I waved my hand dismissively, "It's fine." I said, not trying to give away Asriel's visit. Although, I'm sure someone would find out sooner or later. "Toriel is just being Toriel. And she is being watched by a secret admirer."

Sans facepalmed, "please, don't start this again. it's way too early for this."

"Although, I'm not sure if it's a secret anymore." I said, stroking my non existent beard. "You make it too obvious."

Sans glared daggers at me, "As soon as you find a love interest I'm going to give you a bad time."

I chuckled a bit at that. "Me? In love? Hah, like that'll ever happen. And at least I won't deny it." I said with a wink.

"i'm so done with you." Sans said, beginning to walk up to his room.

"OH NO YOU DON'T BROTHER!" Papyrus launched out of his room. "YOU WILL NOT BE RUNNING BACK TO YOUR ROOM TODAY!"

Sans groaned, "yeah, you're right, i won't be walking to my room. i'll be teleporting to my room."

Papyrus made a lunge at Sans. The smaller skeleton snapped his fingers, him disappearing from the spot. Papyrus came crashing down on the floor. "SAAAAANS. YOU CAN'T RUN FOREVER!"

"ok."

Papyrus seemed to notice me, "AH, HELLO SLIGHTLY SMALL HUMAN." _Since when did my name change._ "SINCE YOU SEEMED BORED YESTERDAY, I HAVE SOMETHING FUN WE CAN DO TODAY."

Sounded like a good idea. Whatever it was, it was better than watching cooking channels. "And, what's that?"

Papyrus rushed over to my arm where the wristband was. He started typing in some random code on it. "WE ARE TRAINING!"

"Papyrus, I don't think you are allowed to take that off." I said, unsure of what would happen with it off. Would I hallucinate again? Would I hurt anyone?

"NONSENSE! YOU SEEM TO HAVE CALMED DOWN QUITE A BIT." The panel turned a solid green, before Papyrus detached it from my arm. "WELL, HOW DO YOU FEEL?"

Everything was fine at first. Then a slash began forming on Papyrus's sweater. _No, no, not now. No, just focus…_ "Y-Yeah, I'm feeling fine Papyrus."

"paps, what are y-" Sans had come out of his room.

"DO NOT WORRY SANS! I THOUGHT THE HUMAN WAS UNCOMFORTABLE!"

I was starting to feel lightheaded now. The scar on Papyrus had gone away, thankfully. Sans quickly teleported down the stairs. "Kid, how are you feeling?"

I felt like I wanted to throw up. "Does seeing stars count as okay?"

Sans started sweating a lot. "Uh… I will go get a bucket." With that, he retrieved a bucket from the kitchen.

He quickly ran over to me, shoving it my hands. I arched a brow in confusion, "Why would I need a b-" My stomach lurched as I emptied my insides out.

* * *

"Kid, are you done yet? Sans asked, clearly worried.

This had been going on for two hours now. We had all agreed in that time to never restrict my magic again. I had been vomiting over and over, showing no signs of stopping. Papyrus had attempted to use healing magic, only for it to not be effective at all.

Sans had explained between the lurches that my magic had been suppressed too much and this was the side effect. Alphys and Sans knew this would happen, but Papyrus taking off the wristband was unexpected.

"I-I don't know. I think I already threw up everything on the _inside_ of my body." I responded with annoyance. The only thing Papyrus's healing magic had succeeded in, was making me throw up more.

Papyrus had apologized many times for taking off the restraint. As much as I said it was fine, he wouldn't stop. That's Papyrus for you right there. After what seemed like years of barfing, I was able to contain myself.

"i'm glad i can't do that kiddo."

"S-Shut up Sans." I mumbled, trying to drink water to get the horrible taste out of my mouth.

Papyrus yelled, "CAN WE ALL JUST TRY TO GET THAT OUT OF HERE? IT SMELLS HORRIBLE." It really did. Actually, can skeletons even smell anything?

Sans seemed to be gagging at this point. "sure bro." His eye flared blue as the bucket disappeared.

"SANS, WHERE DID THAT GO?"

He shrugged, "who knows. hopefully not on an unsuspecting person's head."

I gave myself a palm to the face. "Sans for the love of god."

"what? it isn't our problem anymore." He said, earning a scold from Papyrus.

I pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance, "Now I know why Papyrus hates living with you."

"SOMEONE UNDERSTANDS!" Papyrus exclaimed.

Sans chuckled, "heh, but all jokes aside, you need to get cleaned up kiddo."

"Like I haven't noticed." I said, rushing over to the sink. The water dripped from the faucet into my cupped hands. I made sure to get any remaining… food left. Actually, I had eaten monster food a lot lately. How had I thrown that up? It turns straight to energy and doesn't pass through your body. I would have to ask later.

From the other room, I could hear knocks. Looked like the party was here early. I wondered one thing, had Asriel been caught? He most likely had. The mix between Frisk and Toriel's worried nature and Asriel's honesty would definitely get him caught.

I exited the kitchen, being met with a slightly disheveled Dreemurr family. "Sans, what is with all of these reporters outside? It took me so long to get through them." Toriel complained. Had Mettaton really not left?

"sorry tori, mettaton figured out about asriel coming back." He rolled his eyes. "and you know that guy is dying for viewers."

Toriel let out a soft sigh. I noticed that she had my jacket with her along with a new purse. How had my jacket gotten into her possession? Asriel and Frisk were right behind her, seemingly dazed by the crowd. Toriel was the first to notice me standing off to the sidelines and gave me a warm smile. "Hello young one, how are you feeling?"

"I'm feeling fine Toriel." I lied. The vomit was horrible.

"Ah, that's nice." Toriel began unfolding my jacket. It looked better than it had in ages. "I decided to fix this up for you. I…" She paused in embarrassment. "I ran out of black cloth, so I had to make do with what I had."

On the back, my jacket now had a dark purple delta rune sewed into it. She had used a pattern to cover up the tears on the back, clever. "Toriel, you really didn't have t-"

Before I knew it, she was already putting it in my hands. "Yes I do. We still owe you."

I couldn't argue. Toriel would just swat down all of my protests. "Thank you Toriel." I said. This was weird. I knew something was off, but I couldn't tell quite what.

"oh, right tori," Sans interrupted my thoughts. "didn't you need to talk to me about something?"

I was about to make another one of my shipping comments before Papyrus stole the stage. "AH, SO YOU FINALLY REVEAL YOUR ULTIMATE FEELINGS! I KNEW THIS DAY WOULD COME BROTHER!"

"t-that's not what we are going to talk about paps." Sans grumbled, trying to hold back a blush.

Toriel giggled slightly, "Ah yes Sans. I would like to talk to you about it in private."

"SANS! YOU ARE TALKING ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR TORIEL!"

Sans groaned. If he had any hair, he would have pulled it out. "can we get this over with? i have two annoying shippers in my house right now."

"Alright Sans," Toriel looked towards Papyrus with a stern look. "You will look after the children, right Papyrus? It will only be five minutes."

"YES MRS. TORIEL!" Papyrus said with an enthusiastic salute. Toriel nodded back, walking out the front door with Sans.

Alright this was getting more suspicious. On no terms whatsoever would Toriel leave me alone with Asriel and Frisk unless she felt like they were safe around me. Yep, Toriel had found out about Asriel sneaking out.

Frisk was the first to say anything. They had reverted back to sign language again. "So, how is everything going." Things were still a bit awkward between the two of us. It wasn't just Sans who was happy about Chara leaving.

I shrugged, putting my hands in my pockets. "Well, fine really. Other than magical vomiting…"

"That…" Frisk paused, "Sounds horrible."

"It is." I said sighing. Asriel had been completely silent this whole time. But, he didn't seem depressed or anything. It just seemed like he was trying to keep his mouth shut. I shrugged it off. "So what exactly is Toriel talking to Sans about?" I asked.

Asriel was now trying to contain himself. Frisk saw him about to say something before stepping in. "Just about the... um... nothing."

I arched a brow. They obviously didn't want me to know. "You have your reasons. But I will find out sooner or later." I said, making sure they got the point.

Frisk seemed unfazed, while Asriel nearly looked like he was unable to breathe. What were they doing? I decided to try on the new jacket now that they were distracted. It seemed to fit my size again, mainly due to the extra black cloth on my sleeves. The delta rune looked amazing in purple. Toriel had outdone herself.

Frisk decided to do the one thing that I wasn't expecting. "Hey, you look cute in that jacket." They said shooting gun fingers in my direction.

My face started rapidly turning red. "F-Frisk what the hell?"

Papyrus seemed to have an idea at that moment. He raised his pointer finger in the air. "DID I EVER TELL YOU ABOUT HOW FRISK AND I WENT ON A DATE?"

If I still had food I could vomit out, I would have done it then. Asriel and I both wore the same expression. The expression meant, 'What the hell?'

 **Papyrus and the OC are becoming shipping sinners.**

 **Thank you to Sansyyyy for clicking literally every follow and favorite button.**

 **And since you guys have been so kind and followed the story... have another alternate ending!**

I exited the kitchen, being met with a slightly disheveled Dreemurr family. "Sans, what is with all of these reporters outside? It took me so long to get through them." Toriel complained. Had Mettaton really not left?

"sorry tori, mettaton figured out about asriel coming back." He rolled his eyes. "and you know that guy is dying for viewers." Sans's gaze turned to a boy in the corner of the room typing on a computer. "Sounds like someone else I know..."

"HEY!" The boy yelled from where he was. "THAT'S RUDE."

"but true." Sans said, shrugging.

Then the world imploded because of the damage done to the 4th wall.

 **I am an idiot :D**

 **Sans no need to be rude :(**

 **Reviews are encouraged**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25: Darker...**

Sans was unsure about this. Why would Toriel call him away like this? "so tori, what do ya need me for?" Sans asked, still trying to contain himself after the whole ship fest inside.

Toriel seemed hesitant to say whatever she wanted to say. "Sans, did you know about my son visiting last night?" She asked with slight concern. Toriel had been waiting for Asriel the whole time after she found he was not in bed. When Sans called her and said Asriel was in his house, she freaked out.

Sans winked, "of course i did tori. i was watching to make sure nothing went wrong. What about it?" This was getting odd. Sans had a nagging feeling in the back of his head about what she may be about to ask.

"Well," She paused a bit. "After that night, Asriel was happier than we had seen him in awhile. It was nice seeing a change." When Asriel came home, he had his positive attitude back. He had only shown this before the first time he… died. Toriel scolded him for leaving at night, but couldn't help but smile when he was finally happy again.

"heh, yeah, but where are you going with this?" Sans said, getting more curious.

"Sans, you know that your house isn't the best living condition for a child…" She said, crossing her arms. "And, he has nowhere else to go."

"yeah... i've been thinking about that. but, he finally feels welcome here tori." Sans said glancing to the side. "you can't just send him off or anything." Sans's suspicions were being confirmed. If she said what he thought she was about to say...

"Which is why, I want to take him into our family." Toriel said with affirmity.

"Y-you mean that Tori?" Sans asked in surprise. Actually, he shouldn't have been surprised. Toriel was always a motherly figure. She had just confirmed what he was thinking, but he didn't think she was actually going to say it.

"Why wouldn't I Sans?" She asked. "He has made everyone here very happy before… that. I wasn't sure at first, but you know how Asriel is." Toriel reflected on the memory. She had accidently mentioned if that was a possibility while talking to Asriel the previous night and his eyes lit up. He kept trying to convince her to go through with this. Toriel eventually gave in.

"heh, yep." Sans had begun sweating. "this has all happened so fast. how are you going to tell him?"

"Well, that's what I was worried about." She gazed off into the distance where Undyne and Alphys were now being harassed by Mettaton. "After all, we have seen both of his personalities…" Toriel had noticed one thing in particular about me. I seemed a lot more calm now.

Sans put a reassuring hand on Toriel's shoulder. "tori, i can assure you that if you carry through with this, he will be the happiest kid in this world."

"Sans, thank you."

"hey, no problem tori." He said. "should we check to make sure papyrus hasn't killed them with his spaghetti yet?"

"Ah yes, we should." She responded.

* * *

"AND THAT'S HOW OUR DATE WENT!"

I was confused so much. Just when I thought I had heard about the weirdest things in life. "I no longer fear death."

Asriel was seemingly contemplating his life choices. "Frisk… _why_ did you think that was a good idea?" He said, hiding his face in his ears.

"WELL, FRISK FLIRTED WITH ME DURING OUR FIGHT. I THOUGHT THAT IF I WENT ON A DATE WITH THEM MY TRUE FEELINGS WOULD COME UNEARTHED." Papyrus exclaimed. "IT DIDN'T WORK. I DIDN'T LIKE FRISK THE WAY THEY LIKED ME."

Frisk began rapidly signing, their face flushing red. "It was an innocent flirt. I wasn't expecting a date."

The front door opened. It seemed that Toriel and Sans were done talking about whatever they were talking about. Whatever it was, no one wanted me knowing… I was going to figure them out at some point.

Toriel's eyes seemed to light up when she looked at me. "Ah, I see that it fits nicely on you." She said with glee. "I was rather worried if it would be too big on you."

"Toriel, please, it's fine." I said. She was always worried about something. But, that's what makes her Toriel I guess.

"Alright, I guess I will stop worrying." She said giggling. She caught a glance at Asriel who was still hiding in his ears. "Oh, my child, what happened?"

Frisk quietly giggled, trying to sign at the same time. "There ya have it, Toriel can't stop worrying for even a few seconds."

Toriel didn't seem to notice. I was trying not to laugh. Asriel however… "Papyrus told us about how he and Frisk went on a date."

Toriel raised an eyebrow at Frisk. The child simply shrugged. "Frisk…" Toriel tapped her foot. "Exactly how many monsters did you flirt with in the underground?"

"About… all of them." Frisk signed, eyes darting around the room.

Toriel groaned. Papyrus's eyes bulged out of his eye sockets. Sans was trying to contain his laughter. I had facepalmed. Asriel… "Frisk flirted with me when they fell into the underground."

In a brilliant moment, I did the most amazing thing anyone could have done at that moment. "THE SHIP IS COMPLEEEEEEETE!"

The room was filled with a large succession of hands meeting faces. Papyrus was the ONLY one with me on that one. After a big moment of silence, Sans looked me straight in the eyes, and said, "just no."

Toriel shook her head in udder confusion. "Frisk, can you try… to contain your urges to flirt. It makes everyone uncomfortable and…" She motioned towards me. "It makes him do this so called "shipping."

I put my hands up in surrender. "I am not ashamed."

Frisk lowered their head in pretend shame. "Sorry mom."

Toriel took her phone out of a purse that she had been holding. She seemed to have been checking the time. "Ah, Alphys and Undyne will be here in a bit. Would all of you be up for a trip to the city?"

Before any of us could answer, we heard a "NGAAAAAAAH!" from outside. It looked like the reporters ticked Undyne off. That's probably one of the worst mistakes you could ever make in your life.

We all took a glance out the window to see Undyne charging out her door. She had a spear in one hand and Alphys's hand in another. Various reporters leapt out of the way to avoid Undyne's wrath. The duo proceeded to run straight to Sans and Papyrus's house.

Toriel swiftly opened the door, the two flying in, coming into a heap on the floor. Toriel was unamused. "Undyne… could you please try a more calm way to enter a house?"

The fish monster sprung up, pulling Alphys off the ground with her. "Uh, sorry Toriel." Undyne apologized, a bit embarrassed. Undyne's gaze shifted to me. A wide toothy grin spread across her face. "NGAH, WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN PUNK?!"

Before Undyne could try to force tackle me to the ground for the second time, Toriel gave a stare, a long, cold death stare. "Undyne… No horseplay indoors." She growled, crossing her arms.

"Uh… heh, yeah… Sorry Toriel."

Alphys let out a squeal, rushing over to me. "O-o-o-oh no, w-who t-t-took off the r-restraint?" She grabbed my arm and began inspecting it, much to my discomfort.

For a moment, I could have sworn Alphys's normal lab coat was on. At the moment she was wearing an anime shirt with yoga pants. Why did I see that? "FRET NOT ALPHYS! I TOOK IT OFF AND…"

"he didn't stop hurling for at least two hours." Sans finished Papyrus's sentence for him.

"OMG!" Did Alphys really just say omg? "Ididn'tthinkitwouldbethatbadohmygosh." Alphys blabbered out, frantically jittering her fingers around.

"Alphys, I'm fine." I reassured her.

Undyne was looking about the room, as if scanning for something. "Hey, where is Asgore?"

Toriel rolled her eyes. "He bluntly refused to come." She scoffed in annoyance. "I can't believe him."

Great, now I was tearing families further apart. "Toriel, he has a right to be mad at me." I said, shoving my hands into my pockets. I knew Toriel was going to protest at that. Those two always had tension between them.

"well, are we gonna continue on to the city or…" Sans began, trying to break tension.

"Well, as long as Bennett is okay with going somewhere then yes." Toriel said, giving me a questioning look.

How were they perfectly fine letting me come with them? I had my magic again and I could easily run off at any given time. Did they really trust me that much. Then, I realized, they knew I wouldn't run off. The monsters could read me like a book, and it was really unnerving. "Yeah, it'd be nice to get out of the house." I responded, still pondering on the thought.

I knew Sans would keep a sharp eye socket on me anyway. He ALWAYS knew what I was doing. "alright everyone, follow me, i know a shortcut." Sans said winking. Everyone groaned, realizing what Sans was about to do. He snapped his fingers, and we were all gone.

As soon as we reappeared, the sounds of busy streets met our ears. It had been a long time since I had visited this place. The last time I was here was before Sans took me in.

To think it hadn't been too long since that happened. We had reappeared where no humans would see us. We didn't want to call too much attention. Although, an alleyway probably wasn't the best place to teleport to. People _could_ be here. And the whole cliche getting mugged in an alley thing could also happen.

We emerged onto the streets. The city _was_ really busy. Amongst the bustle of the people, there were actually very few monsters. That was probably because of how hostile humans were to monsters.

Asriel was surprised on how far the buildings reached to the sky. He hadn't been here before. Everything to him was amazing. Some humans gave us weird looks while passing by. I didn't pay attention to it to avoid wanting to strangle one of them.

Toriel was the first to ask where we wanted to go to first. Frisk had mentioned a park they saw when the monsters first came through the town. I remembered it very well. Chara and I had passed it on the way to the Town Hall.

The first time I was able to meet Chara again wasn't too long ago either. I just wish I could've been faster. No, I had to keep these thoughts out of my head. The monsters were trying to help me. If they were going to, I had to at least have some faith in myself.

Just as I thought, Sans was keeping close tabs on me. He wouldn't let me out of his sight to avoid any problems. Asriel had been more full of energy than ever. He pointed out every little thing along the way and asking what it was. Frisk would gladly describe it, sometimes asking me for pointers.

Luckily, I hadn't hallucinated at all yet. Maybe they were finally over? I wasn't too sure being that they were completely random. Most of them only corresponded with the underground. I shut my eyes, trying to get rid of all the negative thoughts. In a sense, I was like Toriel, always worrying.

By the time we reached the park, it was nearly noon. Why couldn't Sans have just teleported us closer. Honestly, I had no desire to eat anything yet. Monster children and human children alike were running around, having a blast. Some moms conversed on the sidelines, watching their children with worry.

Frisk and Asriel ran off to join an armless kid in the distance. They must be friends with him. I subconsciously smiled at how happy they all were. If only Chara was here to see their brother now… _No, snap out of it._ I told myself.

After a few minutes, Alphys and Undyne split off from our little group to go explore more of the city. Papyrus and Sans were arguing about something. Sans most likely made a horrible pun. Toriel was just watching Frisk and Asriel, but I could tell something was on her mind. She was horrible about hiding it.

I found my way to one of the park benches. It was a really a nice day out. The fresh air was a nice change from the normal spaghetti smell of Sans and Papyrus's house. From what it looked like, Frisk, Asriel, and the other monster were all playing tag with each other.

 _I never got to play with the other kids. I was always left alone. Chara was the only one who would actually pay attention to me. But now? I thought it was too late. I had grown up too much to learn how to be a child again. I had the body of a child, but not the soul of one. That part of me died years ago._

I gave off a sad laugh, reflecting on that thought. Had I really never gotten the chance to be a child? But, the answer was loud and clear. That opportunity was gone. My head shot up when I felt a soft hand on my shoulder. I looked up, seeing Toriel looking over me with a kind expression. "May I sit with you young one?" She asked.

"Yeah, sure." I deadpanned.

Toriel took her place right next to me on the bench. We didn't speak or look at each other for an extended period of time. Something was definitely on her mind. There was no doubt now. Toriel let out a long sigh, "Young one, are you feeling alright?"

No, I wasn't. To be honest, I was nearly never alright. There was always _something_ wrong with me. "Yeah, I'm just thinking." I responded. _Thinking about how slow you are to get to the point._

"Well, my ch- young one," That raised a red flag in my head. "I have been meaning to talk to you about something lately." She said, with a slight hint of hesitation in her voice. "Um… I don't know how to say this…"

I rolled my eyes playfully, "C'mon Toriel, I'm sure what you have to say isn't THAT bad."

She gave a half hearted grin. "Alright then. I have been meaning to ask you if… maybe, I'm not saying you have to…" Toriel was really good at not giving an answer. "I was wondering how you'd like to be part of our family."

The reaction was immediate. My teeth clenched. My eyes widened, my left threatening to activate. So many questions instantly flooded my head. _What did she mean? Was she joking? Was I somehow hallucinating again?_ "D-Do you mean that?" I asked, struggling for words. No, she couldn't have actually meant that. I did so many horrible things.

Who would even want me- "Why wouldn't I? I know you blame yourself for running off, but it was our fault. We shouldn't have pushed you to your limit." She put a hand on my shoulder. "Truthfully, I want you to choose whatever makes you happy. If you don't accept, I understand."

No one would have ever said that to me. Why were these monsters so _nice_ to me. "I… alright…" I said, trying to hold back tears. This was too much. I had never thought anyone would so much as bother to do this for me. "I-I… why are you all even doing this for me?

Before I knew it, I was pulled into Toriel's warm embrace. "Shhh, my child. Everything is fine." She said in the comforting voice. "We do this because we all love you very much." That was what broke the walls I had put up. No one had ever said that before. Not that I could remember anyways. Before I knew it, I was sobbing next to Toriel, her arms still wrapped around me. "It's okay my child. We will take care of you for as long as you like."

* * *

"This… This isn't supposed to be happening!"

"First the prince, now the queen?"

"..."

"This is proving to be more troublesome that I thought."

"Alright then, this leaves me no choice."

"It seems that I must cut this life short…"

"Initiate phase 3."

 **The chapter started out happy, then went downhill from there.**

 **Boy, I just can't make a happy chapter anymore can I?**

 **Did I ever make a happy chapter? Hell if I know...**

 **And you may be confused about the chapter name, well, that'll explain itself soon enough.**

 **Thank you to anyone who followed me!**

 **And before I forget!** **This story has hit above 3,500 views. The support you guys have given me is amazing, and I couldn't thank you enough.**

 **Also, I have started a LoZ and UT crossover called TerminaTale if you are interested at all. No, this will not affect my posting schedule because I literally have no life.**

 **Until the next chapter!**

 **Bennetthedrummer Out**


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26: Redacted**

Frisk stared at the ceiling of their bedroom, drifting in thought. So much commotion was going on in their mind that they couldn't take it. Sighing, they took a glance over to where their slightly older brother was sound asleep, across the room.

It took five hundred resets all to save Asriel. Frisk thought it might have been a coincidence that it was a whole number, but they didn't think about it much. They were happy with the way this timeline went.

Asriel was finally alive and well with a soul. Chara was no longer a threat. _Chara…_ That name still rung in their ears. It was Frisk's fault that Chara had become corrupt. They knew this of course. And then, when they had finally brought the first fallen human back to their senses, they died.

It was as if the perfect happy ending could never happen. For everyone to be happy is just in fairytales. This was life. And, Frisk was content with this ending. They had watched as Chara hit the Quit button in the void. Everything was finally over. So why… why did Frisk feel like something was so wrong with the timeline?

Then, Frisk's mind wandered back to me. I was currently sleeping in the guest room down the hall because of Toriel's kindness. They couldn't blame her. Frisk knew that I had done enough, and they too thought I deserved better than what I had been through.

Not to mention, Asriel had gone from depressed to ecstatic as soon as adopting me was mentioned. Why this was? Frisk had no clue. Maybe it was the fact that we both knew Chara very well? No… That wasn't it either. Maybe it was just because of how Asriel always tries to see the good in everyone? Whatever the cause, Frisk was happy with this ending.

Sure, there had been road bumps, major ones like that. And, Asriel's whole glowing golden eye thing hadn't been solved yet. If Frisk had to guess, Asriel was probably bound to my magic a bit more now that his soul had essentially come from mine. _It was the other way around originally._

But, one thing sent Frisk's mind into haywire mode. They could no longer save or reset the timeline. That had to mean someone had overwritten their save file. And who else would have overwritten them? All signs pointed to me. Frisk knew that I now had the power, but I didn't know how to use it. They intended to keep it that way. It was best not knowing how to play with time until it's needed.

Frisk had only lost the power to reset once, not counting the fights with Asriel and Flowey. They were so stupid to think it would work. Somewhere in the three hundreds of their runs, they had resorted to drastic measures. In a desperate attempt, Frisk ripped their soul in half, trying to give it to the dying child.

You can't simply split your existence into a half. That isn't how souls work. When Frisk tried, their soul crumbled to pieces, destroying what power they had left to SAVE. If it wasn't for Asriel that timeline, Frisk would have died forever. The young prince quickly tried to keep Frisk alive, trying to keep their soul together.

He succeeded… but not in the way he hoped. Asriel had absorbed Frisk's soul that timeline. Frisk was content with things being this way, but Asriel wasn't. He couldn't bear to not let Frisk live their life, so he reset on his own.

 _But why did this timeline feel so WRONG?_

* * *

" **Greetings… You may not know me… but I know you. Thank you… you have done very well securing this timeline and maintaining peace and harmony as best as possible. Take a deep breath, and let your mind relax."**

" **Now, open your eyes and realize that your purpose has not fully been completed. There is still one more thing keeping you from finally having that happy ending. That purpose is what you were ultimately made for…"**

" **But, there is a price to pay. I have watched as you made friends with every monster. The more you keep befriending them, the more it will hurt them in the long run. I did give you a hint of selfishness in that soul of yours project S-3. I know what you will try to do."**

" **So please, please just stop making them care about you. You're going to hurt them when the time comes. And no, you will not be able to return to them when your purpose is served. Does this make sense? Soon, you will part with them forever. So, take a moment to think this through… what do you think would be the best thing to do?"**

" **Well, if I were you, I would definitely try to find another way. But, that's the cruel truth of this world, there is no other way. So, will you choose to find comfort being with them, only to hurt them more than ever, or will you leave them to serve your purpose and cause minimal damage…"**

" **I will give you some time to think project S-3… My time speaking to you is limited… But, the next time we talk, will most likely be the last…"**

* * *

 _7 days remain…_

I groggily woke up in the guest room of the Dreemurr's house. Just waking up to this place gave me hope that things were going to be alright. I was half expecting them to get rid of me quickly, but realized how stupid that thought was. They literally wouldn't let me go anywhere without one of them.

I guess I found comfort in that now. I never had to be alone anymore. Everything could be fine. " **The more you keep befriending them… the more it will hurt them in the long run."** Those words still rung out in my ears from the night before.

I had completely ignored them, regarding them as a weird dream. I could finally be happy now, so why was I so scared to keep moving on? Why couldn't everything just be fine? No, everything WAS fine now. Nightmares were just the past trying to haunt me, right? Even though I pushed back the thoughts, one word in my head stood out. " _Reset."_

Somehow, I felt much weaker than before now. It just felt like I was physically drained. Emotionally, I was pretty much fine being that I now had a home and… _family._ But, I just felt so weak now. I made a mental note to check in with Sans about it. He always found the issue.

I quickly changed into my normal clothes, trying to drown the thoughts out of my head. Today was the first day I had a chance to be with an actual family. _C'mon, pull yourself together…_ I told myself. I hesitated at the door knob of my new bedroom. Shutting my eyes and sighing, I twisted the knob and stepped into the hallway.

Of course, immediately I was force tackled by none other than the goat boy himself. As soon as the door was open, he let out a battle yell and tackled me to the floor. I yelped in surprise as he brought me to the ground, placing a foot on my chest in victory. "I WIN!" He proclaimed, acting like he had just achieved the most important goal in the world.

I could hear Frisk giggling from down the hallway. "Hey! Frisk! Is this an everyday thing?" I asked, making no move to break free from Asriel.

"Yup." I heard them respond from far away. Their voice was still faint. "And now you get to deal with him EVERYday."

I let out a series of inaudible mumbles of protest. If I was going to have to deal with this everyday, I was going to have some fun. "Hey Asriel?"

He gave me a taunting look. "Yeah?"

"If you _really_ wanna try to catch me…" I snapped my fingers, appearing further down the hallway. I leaned up against the wall casually. "You're gonna have to try a little harder than that."

Asriel crossed his arms and gave off a huff. "You cheater."

I shrugged, "Well, you kinda jumped me when I just woke up…"

Frisk was shaking their head in udder amusement from our antics. They snapped their fingers to get our attention, then pointing down the stairs. What we saw made us both shudder. Toriel was doing the stare… that stare… "Boys… no horseplay in the house." She scolded.

I gave a playful elbow to Asriel's ribs. "You started it…" _Oh boy, I was losing what maturity I had. Eh, who am I kidding, I was never mature._ Asriel shot a glare back at me, his grin betraying him.

Toriel gave up on trying to convince us to stop fooling around. In hindsight, she should have known that having two boys in the house was a bad idea… maybe three… Frisk never said their real gender. She couldn't help but chuckle at the new happiness everyone had about them. Toriel was so worried about what would happen if I said no to her offer. But, she didn't have to worry now, did she?

She smiled as she looked up the stairs. Asriel had completely kept me in place via hugging. This was really uncomfortable. "Do I win now?" He asked, refusing to let go of me.

I arched a brow down at him. "I have no clue what you are trying to win… But will you let go of me?" I looked over to Frisk for help.

They simply shrugged, "I considered telling you he loved hugs… but your reaction is priceless."

"Oh shut up." I retorted in annoyance. It was as if Frisk's whole existence revolved around pranking me. We were all snapped out of our little feud when the smell of something wafted upstairs. We all looked at each other realizing what it was, _pie._

Asriel quickly detached from me, rushing down the stairs. He was quickly being trailed by Frisk. I sighed, deciding to pull a Sans. Putting my hands in my jacket pockets, I snapped, appearing around the corner that the two Dreemurr's had rounded. "Sup."

Frisk rolled their eyes, realizing what I was doing. "6/10, you still do that red flashy thing too much." They signed, eyeing the pie Toriel had set out.

"Tough crowd." I mumbled. Although I did still manage to surprise Asriel just a bit. That's what he gets for force tackling me right after I wake up. Toriel had been glad that we were actually getting along, aside from the insanity we were pulling.

It wasn't until we were eating the pie when Asriel asked a gravity changing question. "Hey, Bennett? I've been thinking…" He paused a moment, almost unsure of if he wanted to continue his thought. "I-If I saw you so many years ago… how are you even still here?"

There it was. Someone would have HAD to ask something about my past that I wouldn't be able to answer. Sans had told me that the whole "Gaster" event was real, but who would even believe that I suddenly disappeared for ninety eight years?

Everyone's gaze shifted to me. It seemed as if no one had actually thought about that except for Asriel. How was I supposed to answer a question like that? "Um…" I would have to lie to them. "I honestly can't answer that." Or… y'know… I could make them want the answer even more.

Asriel was about to press further, before Toriel swiftly stopped him. "Now Asriel, I know you want to know more about your new brother, but give him some time." _Thank you Toriel for actually understanding._ I was not very convinced that the question wouldn't come up again. I just didn't know how to explain it.

"I do need to talk to you three about something, however." Of course, Toriel had to QUICKLY turn the situation around. "Well, as you all know, you must attend school…" This earned a groan from Frisk and Asriel, and me choking.

"But moooom," I said, still getting used to the fact that I was calling Toriel my mom now. It felt so weird. "We need to get Frisk and Asriel to confess their love so no one gets their hearts broken." I said with a wink in their direction.

Asriel pinched the bridge of his nose. "I take everything back, give him to Sans and Papyrus." The slight blush under his fur betrayed him. Frisk was easily unfazed.

"Nope, you're stuck with me now." I said sarcastically. But, I wasn't done yet. "Does anyone find it weird that Frisk has flirted with everyone many times _other_ than Asriel…" I gave them a moment to let it sink in. "Do ya get what I mean?"

Toriel let out a full hearted laugh at Asriel and Frisk's faces. I had finally had a breakthrough. Frisk began panic signing, "It's hard to flirt with a flower that is trying to ram you full of friendliness pellets."

"Oh yeah, but you can flirt when Undyne is impaling you with spears?" I asked raising an eyebrow. "ADMIT IT." Asriel had resorted to using his ears as a shield. Frisk's normally neutral expression had faltered. My mission was successful. I had embarrassed them. "This is revenge for your flirts with me Frisk."

"Now, as I was saying before I got rudely interrupted…" Toriel said sarcastically, giving me a glance. I threw my hands up in surrender. _One does not simply survive the wrath of Toriel._ "You three _will_ have to attend a school."

Asriel shyly asked, "Um, w-what is a school like?"

Frisk and I both gave him a shocked look. "You mean you have never been to an actual school…" I asked, crossing my arms. "Well, either way, school is basically the last place you want to be, full of racist people who want nothing more than to make your life miserable." I stated bluntly. Monster kids would not have a good time around human kids.

This seemed to worry Toriel slightly. "Well, I will be teaching there, so if anyone comes to hurt my children I will have a nice long chat with them."

A red glint could be seen in my left eye. "Or I could potentially throw them into a wall and make sure they don't get back up…" I mumbled, earning a death stare from Toriel. "Or I could not do that… no promises though."

Toriel let out a sigh. "You really are a curious child."

"Yup, and you picked me out of eveeeery kid you could have possibly picked up on the side of the road." I said tauntingly.

"Ah yes, I guess you're right." She said with a small laugh. "Anyways, I will try to get you all enrolled, possibly in two weeks you should be able to attend."

All three of us let out sarcastic "yay"s. But, I couldn't shake a horrible feeling that the day would actually never come. I dismissed it as simply me thinking that I have lots of time before then. " **The next time we talk, will most likely be the last…"**

I caught Frisk in the corner of my eye. They were definitely about to say something. With a grin, they began signing. "Say what you want. But honestly, regarding the whole you smashing someone on a wall, you're more of a tsundere than that."

Asriel let out a snicker while Toriel looked at us all in confusion. I gave Frisk a cold hard death stare. "Would you like to test that theory Frisk…?" I asked, putting my hands into a pyramid shape.

"Um, I hate to interrupt." Toriel casually broke the tension. "But what exactly is a tsundere?"

Asriel decided to answer this one between trying not to laugh. "It's someone who tries to act tough but is really a softie."

Toriel's eyes widened in realization. She glanced to where I was giving Frisk a major evil eye. "Well, I can see that the description fits quite well."

I let out a groan. "Are you guys being serious right now?"

"It's what you get." Frisk signed. "You shipping sinner."

"I still have no regrets." I responded, glancing to the side. "So, what are you two doing today?" I asked, wanting very badly to just get away from a confined space. Asriel was giving me the look of wanting to try to tackle me again. _What was with him?_

"Alphys invited us to watch anime." Frisk signed quickly. "Do you wann-"

If there was one thing I hated with every fiber of my being, it was anime. I had seen it before and it struck me as straight up weird. Not to mention, people praised it like it was the best thing on this planet. "Ehehehe, um no thanks. I think I'll just go visit Sans."

Then, of course, Asriel had to pull the puppy eyes on me. "C'mon please! What's so bad about anime?"

"Never been interested in it, never will. I would really like to not get dragged in there." As if I really had a choice. Asriel would definitely get the better of me eventually.

And there went to force tackle. It was more of a begging hug. "Pleeeeaaaaaasssseeeee? It'll be fun." _Something told me he was not going to let go._

"I actually need to talk to Sans today." Noticing Asriel's disappointed expression, I quickly said something. "But, the next time I'll go."

His eyes lit up with a gasp. _My brain cannot process the adorableness I get from him._ "Really?"

"Yes, if you would kindly let go of me." I said with a hint of amusement in my voice. When that next time would be, I had no clue. Hopefully, not anytime soon. Undyne had a passion for anime, and if I insulted it, I would have many energy spears through me.

He quickly let go of me. Getting up from his chair and rushing to the front door with Frisk in tow. Before they could be dragged out by Asriel, Frisk signed to Toriel. "Bye mom, see you in a few hours!"

She waved back. Something about Toriel that I always remembered was how much she loved us. It just makes me so angry that other humans could think monsters were so bad. Monsters were more kind than humans by a longshot regardless of the past. How were they all so different from the humans…? Why couldn't they see what the monsters saw in everyone?

Of course, Toriel knew exactly how to mess with me. "You seem like you're enjoying yourself a bit too much."

I nodded, "Aside from Asriel randomly attacking me, yeah…"

"Asriel was always like that. Although, I haven't seen him this excited in ages…" She said, looking downward. I knew what she was referring to.

I winked, "Well, I guess I'm glad that I could help him get back to normal. I'm not sure if it's a good thing though being that this will happen literally every morning…" I mentioned, stroking my imaginary beard.

"Aha, you are a very 'interesting' child." She said. It was almost as if she knew that Frisk and Asriel were going to annoy me for hours on end. "Now, didn't you say you had somewhere to be with Sans?"

My heart sunk. Honestly, I didn't want to talk to Sans about this yet. I didn't want to get anyone involved in something that wouldn't matter. But, I knew I had to. "Right, I'll go do that now."

Before I could turn around she went into mom mode. "You have your phone turned on just in case I call you?"

 _Who wouldn''t have their phone on._ Alphys had made a phone for me in her lab yesterday due to Toriel's wishes. It was just in case of an emergency. But look, if you give me a phone, I am gonna install games on it. "Yes."

"Alright then, be good. And, tell Sans I said hi." She said as I walked out the door. Before the door closed, she didn't hear what I had mumbled.

"Oh yeah, I'll say hi to your boyfriend." Suddenly, realization hit me. And just like that, the ship sunk. Toriel was now my mother. If they got married then... OH HELL NO.

 **I had to do that last part XD**

 **This was actually a really long chapter and hard to write due to my brain not wanting to work.**

 **7 days remain...**

 **Also guys we have now hit the 4,000 views mark! Thanks so much for supporting the fic! I never thought I'd get this far!**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	27. Chapter 27

**Chapter 27: Hope**

It was actually a cloudy day out. Honestly, I was never one for the sun's heat. But, being that the weather was progressively getting colder, it was a must have. At least my jacket no longer had many holes in it, courtesy of Toriel.

I was hoping Papyrus wouldn't be the one to answer the door when I knocked. I just wasn't feeling up to his antics after Asriel dive bombed onto me like a maniac. Of course, Papyrus answered the door. What was I expecting? Sans never did.

"GREETINGS HUMAN! WHAT ARE YOU HERE FOR TODAY?" He asked enthusiastically. Papyrus was just a taller, more energetic version of Asriel honestly.

I waved my left hand. "Hi, is Sans home right now?"

Papyrus gave a worried glance to the basement. "UHM… YES… BUT HE HASN'T COME OUT OF THE LAB SINCE LAST NIGHT…" He trailed off, obviously worried.

"I can check on him." I offered. "Even if the door is locked I can get in." _Through minor teleporting shenanigans and whatnot._

"AH YES, THAT WOULD BE FINE." He stepped aside, letting me in.

Immediately, I rushed over to the basement door, focusing on reappearing on the other side. Teleporting, while being able to see where you will appear, is much easier than going through objects or long distances. I learned that the hard way trying to escape Asriel's wrath. Papyrus watched in anticipation as I finally disappeared to the other side of the doorway.

There he was. Sans was definitely working hard on something. He seemed to be slightly modifying the DT Extractor. Somehow, he hadn't seen me come in yet. I could hear him mumbling something in a series of weird words. I couldn't understand what he was saying.

Deciding to snap him out of it, I spoke, "Hey Sans?"

The skeleton had already known I was here. "don't you know it's rude to sneak up on other people?"

I crossed my arms, arching a brow. Classic Sans right here, knowing everything… "I've been feeling a lot weaker lately. But it isn't just like a sleep deprivation thing or something like that. I was wondering if you could check it out."

He knew something was up with me from that description. Hopefully he would know what it is. "uh yeah sure, just sit on the examination table right there."

Walking over, I saw how uneasy Sans looked. Normally he was calm and collected. DId I say something that would make him like this? Or, was there something really wrong with me? Sans grabbed a box with a tube stretching out towards a soul-shaped opening. "What's that?"

"i made it. it's a dt examiner to help check your soul." He said, placing it on my chest where my soul would be. "i'm fairly positive on _what_ is making you feel weaker, but i don't wanna scare ya."

Oh, well that just sounded AMAZING. "And you've never used this before?" I asked, curiosity ebbing away at me. I would rather not like my soul imploding from a prototype machine.

"nope, it's a test run actually." _Sans I freaking hate you._ The box let out a small ding, signifying it was done. Sans pulled away, headed towards a small computer he had positioned on one of his messy desks. He had stacks of paper piling up for who knows how long. He looked over to me, where I was still sitting. "the results won't be in till tomorrow by the way."

That gave me a bit of time to think about this. Something was wrong with me, and I didn't know what yet. Would it affect me too much? "Alright, thanks Sans." I said, still feeling really horrible. _Something was going to happen to me. I finally had a good start._ I got up, crossing my fingers that nothing bad was going to happen.

Sans didn't say anything else, shutting the basement door behind me. Papyrus was eagerly waiting for me. "SO HUMAN, HOW DID IT GO?"

"It was fine Papyrus. He's just busy." I told him. The worried tone in my voice didn't seem to worry Papyrus that much. Maybe I was just overreacting about this whole thing. I was probably going to come in the next day and nothing would be wrong.

"WELL, IF YOU SAY SO HUMAN." He exclaimed, opening the front door for me. Sadly, I walked home, trying to shut out the negative thoughts. My attention snapped to the phone in my pocket which buzzed with a notification. It was from "ALPHYS." Alphys must have added her contact when she gave me the phone.

I opened it up, seeing that she had posted something on the internet. It contained a picture of Frisk and Asriel sitting next to each other on the couch, leaning up against each other. Asriel had a surprised expression, being that he saw Alphys snap the picture. Under the photo, were a few words that made me die of laughter. "My OTP."

Quickly, I started typing in a response. Frisk and Asriel were going to get an EARFUL from me when they got back. Not only did I already have proof, but now I had more. My response was simply this, "I freaking called it. Friskriel4lyfe"

Immediately I was flooded with responses of agreement from multiple monsters. Those two were gonna kill me when they got back. Worth it.

* * *

 _6 days remain..._

I took everything I said the day before back. The sun SUCKED. It decided to seep through the window just barely enough to wake me up from the brightness of its rays. Day two in the Dreemurr household… Last night I was subject to many "hug attacks" from the goat child named Asriel Dreemurr. He has been doing it all freaking day.

Frisk had done nothing to help my cause, because of the little thing I posted yesterday. Asriel was too innocent to purposefully annoy me for something so small. Although, his hug attacks were really getting persistent. Like, did he know what personal space was. Then, I rolled my eyes in realization. He _knew_ that this made me fidgety, so it was revenge.

Luckily, Toriel had the mercy to spare me from him. But, that probably wouldn't last long. For all I knew, he could be standing outside my door right now, waiting for me to open it. I chuckled at the thought of another skirmish like last morning.

That happiness quickly died down when I was brought back to earth. Sans would have the results today. I still hadn't told anyone else about our little visit. No one needed to worry. Everything would turn out fine. Even if there was something wrong, Sans could fix it.

Approaching my door, I braced myself for Asriel to rocket out at me. This time, I'd just dodge out of the way. When I finally swung the door open, he wasn't there much to my surprise. He was probably still asleep. _Perfect, more time to embarrass them._

The door to their shared room was wide open. I held back a snicker, seeing those two. Frisk looked like a literal zombie, while Asriel was using one of his ears as a sleep mask. Although, I had to admit, that was a rather useful strategy. That is, useful enough for me to post. Only monsters saw the media we were using known as Undernet.

Quickly, I snapped a photo. "The Legendary PunMaster uploaded a photo." Under that, showed the hilarity of Asriel's sleeping mask. "Sleeping beauty right here." I commented under the photo. Awaiting many responses, I put the phone away and headed down the stairs. There was Toriel, making pancakes, eggs, and bacon for us. _Freaking heaven._ Although, she seemed preoccupied by her phone.

She turned around, looking at me with her hands on her hips. "The Legendary PunMaster… is that really your username?" She asked, trying to not laugh.

"Well, I thought it might be a bit PUNbearable for you, but I went with it anyways." I responded, giving a challenging look in her direction.

She raised an eyebrow. "It seemed like an EGGcelent choice for a name." She mentioned, casting the challenging glare back at me.

 _Oh no she didn't._ If she wanted a pun war, I'd give her one. "I'm sorry mom but my puns take the panCAKE."

"I was just BACON you some breakfast, but you asked for it." She said with a smile.

"Wow, that one really SCRAMBLED me."

"Don't worry my child, I have a DOZEN more."

"I'd hate to end up having to EGGcecute a series of puns, but it seems to be the most EGGsquisite choice." _Double pun!_

"I think it would be the EGGcecutive choice."

She asked for it. A red glint formed in my left eye in anticipation. "You asked for it." Pun blast in 3… 2… 1.. "I would tell you a chemistry joke but I wouldn't get a reaction. I was a banker but I lost interest. My math teacher once called me average, how mean. I was going to get a brain transplant but I changed my mind. Oops, books fell on my head. I only have myshelf to blame. Sans tried to get me with a bird pun but forgot Toucan play at that game. A man got his whole left side cut off, but he was all right." I finished the last one with a wink.

Toriel had been stunned by the mass amount of puns flowing in. She couldn't take it anymore and began chuckling uncontrollably. "Wow, I guess your title really does match you." She said between laughs. _Victory._

A thought entered my mind. "At this rate, I could rival Sans." I mentioned. Then, I heard the tapping of a keypad behind me. Frisk and Asriel had recorded that whole thing. As usual, the notification showed up on my phone. I took a glance at the two smug looking ten year olds. "Dammit you two."

Toriel clicked her tongue, raising her pointer finger. "We have a swear jar in this house."

 _Ah crap. That's not gonna go well for me._ "Sorry, didn't know." I innocently exclaimed. Of course, since I didn't know yet, I didn't have to suffer the charges. Not to mention, I had no money on my own.

Breakfast went by perfectly fine. The only hiccup was when Frisk tried to steal my bacon. YOU DO NOT STEAL MY FREAKING BACON. This, of course, ended in many laughs and a very distressed me, mourning over my lost piece of bacon. _Frisk would pay for the pain they had inflicted on me._

We all had a great morning… until a text from Sans came in. My face went pale at seeing it. He was being urgent. My blood began running cold. 'No, nothing is wrong, right?' I kept telling myself. Toriel was the first no notice that I had frozen still. "My child, is something wrong?"

"I-I need t-to go over to S-Sans's place." I was stuttering uncontrollably now. I almost sounded like Alphys. The reality came to bite me in the back. There was _definitely_ something wrong with me.

Asriel and Frisk would have been joking with me right now, but my normal grin was gone. They both knew this side of me very well. It had disappeared the past few days, but now, the old me was back. Toriel bit her lip, trying to think of what to say. "If you need to talk to us about anything, we're right here."

"I'm sorry I have to go." I whimpered, snapping my fingers. Why did the world have to always throw problems at me when I finally had something good going. I had a family and people who loved me, but there was always something to stop me. Appearing in Sans's lab, I expected the worst.

He stood there in front of me, his pupils devoid of light. His grin was still there, but not as wide as usual. "Heya kiddo," He took a pause, not knowing where to start. "How about we talk about this at Grillby's? He just opened up his new restaurant in the city." He offered.

Not knowing where this was going, I nodded. Without using his normal, 'I know a shortcut,' quote, we teleported to Grillby's. The place was rather full, spare a few seats. My last encounter with the fire elemental was not exactly… smooth. Running off from him actually alerted the monsters to where I was, which I was now grateful for.

There were many dog type monsters in here sitting around. An occasional human or two sat at the bar, talking with Grillby. Sans motioned for me to sit down on one of the two stools empty at the bar. This was going to be a _long_ talk.

Noticing his new customers, Grillby made his way over to us to take our order. It took him a moment to recognize who I was. But when he did… "Ah, so you're the naughty one who ran off." He stated.

This was really uncomfortable. "Y-Yep, the same one." I replied, trying to keep calm.

He gave off a slow crackling laugh. "Then I guess there is no need to push the subject further." _Thank god._ He turned to Sans, "What would you two like to order?"

Sans's pupils still hadn't returned. "Two burgs with some extra ketchup." He ordered, as if he didn't want to do this at all. _Neither did I._ Grillby nodded, rushing towards the back of the restaurant. Sans's gaze finally met mine. "Hey kid, let's get to the point." He snapped his fingers, the world around us seemingly froze, locked in place.

I began to panic before Sans shushed me. Preparing to talk, he took a deep breath, "So, you've been feeling weaker for a very good reason. It's really serious."

That was not what I wanted to hear. "A-About how serious?"

His eye sockets narrowed, the lights still missing. "Well, let me see… if you didn't come to me when you did, you'd probably have never known and died."

"W-Wait Sans what are you talking about?" I asked in shock. No, I wasn't going to die.

He let out a sigh. "Kid, ever since you killed Flowey, you've been LV 5." I knew my LOVE had increased, but what did that have to do with anything? "Well, a normal human at LV 5, would have about thirty-six HOPE. Kid, you have five."

 _No, that was not good. Only five?_ I had barely managed to survive Flowey with twenty-eight. "Why is this happening then?" I asked, trying to maintain myself. _Hp… hope… why was I losing hope?_

"Well, you never had much to begin with kid. After thinking about it, the cooperation of Chara and Asriel's souls with you sorta gave you more hope. When they both left, so did your hope. But here is the catch," He mentioned, before I could say anything. "Asriel didn't really leave, and he now has your little golden eye thing. You can still do it, just not all the time."

So, it was essentially a magical bond? I shifted uncomfortably in the barstool. "That makes a little more sense… but why does that matter?"

"Kid, Asriel has been trying to keep you going ever since you helped him. He essentially _is_ your hope." He glanced to the side. "If you didn't have him around, you'd probably be at one hope like me."

 _One hope at LV 5 alone…_ "But… what was my hope at LV 1?"

This made Sans look away from me. "You see, without Chara and Asriel's cooperation in your soul back then, you would have been dead. If you didn't kill, you'd be dead." He sighed, "Now, as much as killing is wrong, I think everyone is glad you're still here…"

Something was telling me to keep pushing for answers. "Then, why are you even here to warn me if I'm not really in danger anymore?"

Sans's left eye suddenly activated with a ping. "That's where the bad part comes in. Your hope is being held together by determination. Lose that… and… well… you get what I'm saying?"

 _I would die…_ "Alright Sans… I understand."

He was feeling just as horrible about this as I was. "Listen kid, don't tell anyone else about this. They'll just get worried more and you will lose more hope."

"That doesn't really make sense." I faced him, "If I had support, wouldn't that give me hope?"

He hesitated on that answer. "Well, no… let me educate you. According to the DT Examiner, your soul… is about thirty percent monster, hence, where the magic comes from." _I was nearly a third monster?_ "I know that's confusing, but let me explain the whole thing first." He said, putting up a hand. "Monsters express themselves through magic and their general health is based on their emotions. So, a happy monster is a healthy monster. When others around them are depressed, they get depressed. Do you see what I mean?"

So, that would mean that if everyone around me had their moods dampened, I would feel the same way. "But what about the other seventy percent?"

"That other percent is human. It really just makes your appearance and determination." He said, glancing at some of the frozen monsters in Grillby's. "But here is the thing with you, the less happy you are, the less determination you have, which means the less hope you have."

"So this is essentially a cycle now?" I asked, trying to comprehend this. Being part monster was a surprise. But, I guess it made sense why I hated humans so much.

"Exactly. So kid, just take it easy on yourself, and try to be happy. Now, I'm not giving you an option." He said with a wink. "Because if you aren't for an extended period of time, your hope will tick down to nothing."

I grinned, "So, I'm stuck with you guys forever now?"

His pupils had reappeared. "Yup, and you can't get rid of us now." He reached up and ruffled my hair, much to my annoyance. As my senses snapped back, time was seemingly moving again.

Grillby came back to the bar with the two burgers. _Mine had bacon on it. YEEEEEES._ I had a double take, realizing that I had completely bypassed the conversation because of bacon. _I was a wreck._ I still had no regrets. This was a lifesaver due to Frisk STEALING mine that morning.

Grillby was cleaning a glass with a white rag, eyeing Sans. "Sans," He put a hand on the counter, looming over the skeleton. "What did I tell you about freezing time in my bar?"

A bead of sweat dripped down Sans's skull as I watched in amusement. How could Grillby know about him freezing everything? "Heh, uh… sorry Grillbs." He apologized, scratching the back of his skull. Grillby's eyes narrowed, giving Sans a death glare. The flames on his head began turning blue. "H-Hey! If it makes it better I'll pay off my tab!"

Grillby immediately backed off, flames returning to normal. His calm and collective attitude was back. "Now, that's what I wanted to hear Sans." I was trying to hold back laughter on how easily Grillby just manipulated Sans.

I had completely forgotten to ask Sans about that strange dream. Our conversation seemed to answer my question. There would be no need to leave them. I'd die if I left, leaving them in pain. There was an obvious choice to make here. It wasn't like I was leaving anytime soon, or ever. I still had to get Frisk and Asriel together before anything. _It was just a stupid nightmare._

With a beep and a rumble, my phone sounded from my pocket. When I pulled it out, I saw that I had about twenty texts from Toriel. Many of these texts were her being worried about me and where I was. That was my cue to leave. "Sorry Sans, mom is sort of panicking right now."

His grin spread wider across his face. "i see you're getting used to living with them. alright kid, just remember what we talked about today."

I blinked, both eyes activating, something they hadn't done in a while. "Will do." The world around me slipped away. My job was simple. All I had to do for my soul to keep living, is actually live my life. Was that too hard for Sans to explain?

No, I knew what it was now. Sans wanted me to _protect_ them now. How had I not noticed? Even if it was unintentional, it seemed as if he was leaning towards that conclusion… As much as I didn't want to admit it, I loved the monsters. They had given me a new life when I had no hope. If that doesn't give me hope, then I don't know what hope is.

 **Excuse me for making a pun war but... MEH.**

 **Now I wonder why the hope is** ** _really_** **going downwards. Because I don't think it would be that quick, wouldn't you agree? Eee hee hee**

 **LE GASP! No review from MusicalDetermination. THIS IS AN OUTRAGE! Jk.**

 **Also, everything confusing will be answered in a few chapters. How it will be answered? Well...**

 **=) You'll have to wait and find out.**

 **Thank you to anyone who followed and favorited the story.**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28: The Clock is Ticking...**

 _5 days remain…_

 _*5/5 HP_

"FUHUHU! You've gotten better!" Undyne yelled over the flurry of spears. She was dressed in her signature armor now. This was insanity.

A bead of sweat dripped down my forehead. I looked down at my now green soul. _Locked into place…_ Agreeing to train with Undyne was probably one of the worst decisions in my life. She _really_ gave a good workout. "Understatement of the century." _Better? I had just been blocking hundreds of spears coming at me from all directions._ Why was this even remotely considered a good idea?

Thank god she was not using actual harmful spears. They only let off a slight shock that would chip off a small hundredth of my HOPE. This was recommended by Toriel, seeing as she was not happy that Undyne wanted real spears. _I would not like to be skewered, thanks…_ Undyne thought my words were a challenge. "A challenge? Who can say no to THAT! NGAAAAAH!"

I rolled my eyes. _Here we go AGAIN._ This time yellow colored spears flew at me from all directions. I kept a close eye on them, seeing that they were different from Undyne's normal aqua spears. To my shock, quite literally, they swerved around me, catching me off guard. Even though the spears couldn't actually kill, it still bugged me that I had agreed to this with only five HOPE.

Actually, it had been Sans who had suggested this… Why? He told me himself that training your soul can actually increase HOPE without killing anyone. No wonder he was still at one. He was too lazy to train his soul. Undyne's grin widened when I got hit. "Have you already given up?"

Okay, REALLY? That was not likely. I knew a challenge when I saw one. She was really pushing me to do better. "Come at me!"

A glint formed in her right eye. "THAT'S WHAT I WANT TO HEAR!" About fifty spears appeared in the sky behind her. As much as I wanted to remain confident, this was a bit too much… I had been using one of Undyne spears to block this whole entire time. It was time to take matters into my own hands.

This would be a long shot, but I had to see if this would work. The spears came plunging down at me with incredible speed. I tossed the spear away, raising one arm in a shield fashion. Knowing how to use base magic, I tried to put it to use. A fiery green shield materialized in front of me. A delta rune shone on the front with immense brilliance as the spears were reduced to nothing.

Her one good eye widened at the spectacle. This would be interesting… If I was going to stretch my magic, she was too. "Nice one punk! But how well can you handle THIS!?" My eyes widened as an aqua whip lashed out from from her hand. My soul shifted back to red as I performed a backflip, narrowly evading the tip. Never before had I seen her use that. It seemed to wear her out faster…

That, of course, didn't change the fact that I was sweating beads. "H-Hey…" I huffed, "Are we done yet Undyne?"

She raised a spear towards me. _Shoulda known…_ "Not until you're able to knock me down!"

I cracked my knuckles, my red eye glowing. "Easy enough." She readied herself as I charged forward. To her surprise, I had vanished from sight. She barely turned around on time to see me trying to make a sweep at her feet. She jumped over me, trying to pin me with spears. I tried to teleport, only to realize my soul had reverted to green.

My arm flew up in a shielding position as the flame shield protected me. Undyne was not messing around. She took a different approach. The whip lashed out towards my front. Instinctively, I activated the shield where the whip was coming closer. I was surprised when a spear nailed me in the back.

I fell to the ground in defeat. She cocked her head to the side. "C'mon punk, you're holding back." Her fist met with her chestplate, a metallic sound ringing out. "Give me all you've got, I can take it!"

I slowly brought myself up to my feet. Annoyed, I flashed my left eye again. She was NOT letting up! If she wanted me to give it my all, I would. "Your grave." Golden fire began swirling around me, forming into a massive tornado. I was floating in the middle of it, both eyes beginning to shine.

A large beam of fire blasted into the sky. Undyne's jaw dropped at the spectacle. I was honestly surprised as well. A shockwave of fire launched towards the fish monster. She was prepared and blocked with her spear. I clicked my tongue, switching to a different strategy. I just had to wait and catch her off guard.

 _*Waiting for a weak point… it fills you with PATIENCE!_

Both of us gasped as my soul shifted to a light blue shade. I was more alarmed that I was incapable of moving. This wasn't good. Why couldn't I dodge? Undyne shook the phenomenon off, throwing a spear in my direction. I desperately tried to dodge only for the spear to collide right with me… I didn't feel any pain. It was then when I realized that the spear had passed through me with no damage…

"Hey! You managed to change your soul color!" Undyne yelled over to me. "I can do that as well, but I can only change yours to green." So with this soul color, I was incapable of moving, but I couldn't get hit by attacks that weren't orange? _Interesting…_

 _*The will to test for more possibilities fills you with BRAVERY!_

My soul shifted to orange as I launched forward. I was incredibly fast now. My momentum wouldn't allow me to stop myself. This was the exact opposite of light blue… Undyne couldn't predict where I was going. To be honest, I had no clue what I was doing either. This was all new to me.

In defense, spears shot up around Undyne in an attempt to stop me. I was able to pass right through them with no harm done. We were both really surprised when I was able to knock her to the ground, a foot planted on her chestplate. My soul shifted back to its red color. We were both panting quite loudly, the magical strain tiring us both out.

A wide grin spread across the warrior's face. "That… was… AWESOME!" I took my foot off of her, allowing Undyne to get up from the ground. She dusted herself off before looking towards me with a proud expression. "I knew you were powerful, but I didn't think you could even do THAT!"

I shrugged, "Neither did I actually…"

"That was honestly kinda terrifying!" She exclaimed. She quickly did a double take to make sure I had gotten the actual point. "I-In a good way, I mean!"

"So… I knocked you down… Does that mean we are finally done with this?" I _really_ just wanted to get home. Actually, on second thought, I didn't. Ever since I came home the previous day, Toriel, Frisk, and Asriel have been watching me like hawks. As much as I said I was fine, they still asked what was wrong. It's hard to explain to someone that if you tell them, it will just make it worse.

There was so much time to repair any damage done. So, why did I feel like it would never happen? Why did I feel as if time was going too fast? Undyne snapped me out of my thoughts, "Yeah, that's enough for today. I should probably get you home before Toriel roasts me alive."

 _Maybe I could avoid them for a bit longer…_ "Actually, what are you doing today?" I asked. If I went back, it would be the usual harassment. I needed a break from all of that.

She seemed surprised that I even asked. _Did my personality really leave this kind of effect on people?_ I really needed to work on that. "Yeah, why do you ask?"

 _Quick, think of an excuse that wouldn't cause suspicion!_ "I don't know… I just need a break from Asriel's insanity…" I said with a shrug. _Great job on hiding suspicion… NOT._

A chuckle sounded from Undyne. "Yeah, that kid can be a bit of a handful. Here, I'm going to MTT Resort for a sort of "Royal-Guard Reunion" type thing. I'll take you along as long as you don't…" She visibly shuddered, "Make any of those horrible puns…"

The pun war with Toriel had already gotten around 50k views. One commenter kept spamming me with puns and kept typing in a lazy font… I had a sneaky suspicion that it was Sans… "Alright fine, but if someone challenges me I will destroy them with puns."

Her one good eye rolled in annoyance. "Good enough, let's go!"

* * *

Asriel glanced over at his buzzing phone. A text had just come in from me, notifying him that I would not be home for a few hours. He arched a brow at the text, seeing exactly what this was. "Alright, now he is CLEARLY avoiding us…"

Frisk, who was looking up at the ceiling from their bed, turned over with interest. "Whaddya mean Azzy?"

The boss monster let out a huff. "Don't give me that. Ever since his little chat with Sans, Bennett has been acting _really_ strange. You've seen it!"

Frisk lowered their head in thought for a moment. There were multiple possibilities on what Sans could have said. One was very prominent. "Do you think Sans said something about the resets?"

That _did_ seem like a good point. But one aspect didn't align with that theory. "He already seemed to be waiting for a response from Sans. That wouldn't exactly make sense…"

The human shrugged. "Then I have nothing. Maybe it's a mood swing?"

"No, it wouldn't be that either…" Asriel didn't have a reason for wanting to help me… It was just in his nature. Even then, I still couldn't understand the true nature of monsters. How they were so different from humans… their souls. Humans may have had the more powerful soul, but monsters had the more compassionate one.

"Should we go ask Sans?" Frisk asked. "Then again, I don't think he would tell us anything…"

Asriel folded his arms. "And it's not like you can leave the house. Mom wants you to prepare for the Ambassador meeting tomorrow. Remember?"

They let out a loud groan. "I COMPLETELY forgot about that. Why did I even sign up for this?"

Asriel thought of an idea. "Hey Frisk, while you're gone tomorrow, I have a plan!"

The human raised an eyebrow. "And what is said plan?"

"Mom is going to be gone for the day tomorrow. It will just be us two. He will have to watch me even if he says no. I'll figure him out." He explained. "Whether he likes it or not."

 _This wasn't a half bad plan. It could go both ways… But, all three of us had the same feeling… time was running out…_

* * *

"Hey guys! Sorry I was late!" Undyne's voice boomed throughout the resort. This place was actually pretty amazing. Other than the strange fountain spewing water to the _outside_ of the pool of water. Many different monsters were chatting to each other, conversing over anything that was going on in their lives.

They all stopped when Undyne's voice was heard. The captain of the royal guard would definitely be expected for this. She seemed happy enough to see her old friends. To think these same monsters were trying to fight against humans a while back. Things had gone well.

Of course Undyne was going to give a speech. I didn't care much for those. Speeches and really being the center of attention wasn't my thing. That notion is kind of ironic being that I have been the center of attention for quite a bit. Saving Asriel had really made my face known after a while.

Every now and then, a monster would stop me and thank me as I walked around the resort. My favorite of all of the guards was a dog that raised its head to unreasonable heights. Eventually I stopped. The dog had gone where no dog had gone before… The positive attitude coming from everyone was refreshing. It felt as if relief had finally washed over me. But… _the clock was still ticking…_ Why would I think that?

After everyone had settled down, Undyne had marched up to a podium. It was then that I noticed a familiar robot amongst the crowd. _God dammit Mettaton._ Luckily, I hadn't stumbled across him quite yet. He would definitely bombard me with questions…

The captain of the royal guard finally spoke, her voice silencing all of the members in the crowd. "Thank you all for coming here today. As you all know, the royal guard was disbanded by King Asgore and Queen Toriel." _Undyne was being REALLY formal._ "Now, as much as I enjoy not having to patrol 24/7 and be able to spend more time with everyone, dang I missed you all." There was a slight pause in her speech. "But, all of you rest assured that you did a great job. Because of your efforts, we were able to finally see the surface again. And for that, I thank you all." She raised a spear in the air. "NOW LET'S GET THIS PARTY STARTED!"

Loud cheers could be heard throughout the monsters. I was just lurking in the background, losing all interest to interact with anyone. Seeing the bond all of the monsters shared… I wanted to have that same bond. Was that selfish? Or was it the right thing to do? I so badly just wanted to tell Toriel, Asriel, Frisk… everyone… it hurt.

4/4 HP

 _I felt weaker. What was happening? Crap, I had just lost hope… Why? I hadn't even gone a day and I already lost one… Did I really not have much time left?_

A tap to my shoulder jarred me out of my thoughts. When I turned around, it took me a moment to recognize the familiar face. _Red._ "What's up buddy?" She asked. She was balancing a rapier on her finger. It was rather skillful to be honest.

"Oh, hi Red. I didn't expect to see you here." I waved, not knowing what to do. That sword could literally fall on my head…

"I didn't expect to see you here either! This is a meeting for the royal guard…"

That didn't make sense… "Then why are you here?" I cocked an eyebrow in confusion.

The canine folded her arms with a huff. Apparently I had said something wrong. "I may be a child but I'm still a member of the royal guard!"

That caught me in shock. For a brief moment, I didn't believe her. But the fact that she wore a delta rune robe and had a freaking sword… that changed my mind. "Sorry, didn't realize that."

"Oh it's fine!" She leaned up against a wall casually. "So, what's been going on in your life? Resurrecting princes and managing to beat Undyne in a duel?"

 _People knew way too much…_ "You heard about that whole ordeal then?" I asked begrudgingly. Reminding me about resurrecting Asriel reminded me of something else… _Something I'd rather just move on from… Dammit, keep your head straight. You don't want to lose anymore hope._

"Heck yeah I did! To think the random human I met in the underground did all of that!" She gave a fake hurt expression. "Then you didn't tell me…"

Okay, now she was just straight up messing with me. _I do not need Asriel or Frisk getting ANY ideas._ "Well, I'm not going to tell some random stranger who I met in the underground about my personal life…"

She tried to think of a witty response, but had none. "Point proven."

Both of our heads turned to a cloaked figure walking in our direction. I had seen this person in a boat in Waterfall in the underground. "Tra la la, my daughter is a sassy one, tra la la." The River Person sung out. _So this was Red's mother…_

Red seemed a bit flustered by this. Proving the River Person's point even further, she retorted, "No I'm not!" She quickly realized her mistake and let out a low growl. _I had completely forgotten about the whole "Red being a dog" thing._ She didn't exactly look like a dog versus the obvious paws coming from her sleeves. The growl confirmed my suspicion. She seemed to ignore her mother, turning to me. "So, as I was saying…"

We were interrupted again. It was by the same person as last time. The River Person placed a clocked arm on my shoulder, cocking her head to the side. She flinched her hand away, seemingly dazed by _something._ Her voice was weak, but I heard it clearly. "Tra la… la… beware of the man who speaks in hands…"

 **Oh dear god I forgot to update**

 **I made you guys wait waaaay too long.**

 **BUT I HAVE AN EXCUSE. Albeit, it's a stupid excuse. MY bday was last weekend :3 Right after that however... I had to get braces... Kill me**

 **So this is really painful, but honestly I don't care. I had to get something out for you all.**

 **But be warned... in a few chapters there will be one that will meet your standards =)**

 **Reviews are encouraged! (If I didn't respond to your review... It got lost in the inbox notifications... I will respond to it next chapter if I missed it!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	29. Chapter 29

_4 days remain..._

The front door closed behind me. Sans had once again reminded me that telling anyone about my problem would only bring poor results. This was not looking good. I let out a sigh, making my way towards the stairs. Time to clear my mind was all I needed.

Today I would have to do some extreme magical training. My hope was going down too fast and I needed to learn control. Granted, Sans had first taught me about keeping control when we first trained together, but this was getting advanced. He taught me about levitation magic. I had yet to try it out, but I was excited. Using said magic took extreme focus and control. This would help me level my negative thoughts and hopefully keep my hope stable.

I was stopped short as Toriel blocked my way. Her arms were folded and her foot tapping. Of course she had noticed I was gone. I was supposed to be here when Frisk left… _Crap…_ "Well? Where did you run off to?" She inquired. I was not getting out of this easily.

"Look, I went to visit Sans." I explained. She raised an eyebrow. _That stare was petrifying…_

She let out an annoyed sigh, "And what did the skeleton do this time?" Someday, Toriel was going to turn both me and Sans to ash…

"Can I not have a friendly visit with him?" I was trying to maintain myself and not cower away from Toriel. I really didn't want to see her pissed. "Look, nothing is wrong…"

Due to the expression on her face, she didn't believe any of that. I should have known that wasn't going to work. Toriel knelt down to my eye level, looking at me straight in the eyes. "Whatever you are hiding from us, I won't push it. It's your choice, but know we will listen when you are ready."

My right eye narrowed. _Why did she have to worry so much?_ My hope was going to tick down again if I kept this up. "Look, really nothing is w-" Toriel quickly shut me up with a warm hug. Of course, she just _had_ to make me feel worse. _Stupid brain, she is making me feel better. Why am I such a damn hot head?_

She let me go, bringing herself back to her full height. That stern look was once again back. "Now, I am going to the school to handle some things. You are here alone with Asriel." _Oh god…_ "So, no sneaking away."

 _Oh yeah, like I couldn't wait for his antics._ "Alright… When will you be back?" _Please say something that wouldn't send me into a spiral…_

"Tonight." This earned a loud groan from me. _What antics would goat boy treat me to today?_ "Don't worry, he shouldn't be too much to handle." She reassured me. "If anything goes wrong, just call me." I was going to complain, but she was out the door before I could say anything…

How was I supposed to watch Asriel for the whole day? Good job Toriel, for leaving me here alone with the hug death trap. I let out a distressed sigh, turning towards the stairs. Just a little bit of time to be alone would help me.

This was going to get in the way. Like I said, I had to be focused when doing this training. Being that Asriel was around, he was bound to break my focus. I didn't blame him for being the way he was. He just cared too much. Not to mention, he was the main culprit in trying to find out what was wrong with me. Of course he would be persistent in finding out...

When I reached my room, I wanted to internally scream. Asriel was ALWAYS one step ahead of me. There he was, sitting on my bed just waiting for me to show up… I couldn't get rid of him now… How would I get away with this? He seemed proud of himself. I was not amused, "What are you doing in my room Asriel?"

"I was just wondering what you were doing…" He responded. _Could he just leave?_ Also, that didn't exactly make sense. He knew I had left, so why was he checking my room? "Aaaaand, you sorta have to watch me…"

I arched a brow. "Your point?"

"I was wondering what you wanted to do today!" He flipped himself over, his ears hanging off of the bed. _Dammit Asriel why are you so freaking adorable._

Maybe I could compromise with him. Buying myself time to train was all I needed. He just seemed so excited to be spending a day with me. I guess I hadn't really thought of that… "Listen, I need to do something. When I'm done we can do whatever you want." I glanced to the side. "Is that a deal?"

"Fiiiiine." He finally got up off the bed. "Just don't take too long." He commanded. Walking back to his room.

Okay, this was good. His window was positioned away from the backyard so hopefully he wouldn't walk in on me training. I didn't want to raise suspicion. Ten minutes was all I needed for this. Granted, I still had limited clue on how to actually perform levitation magic. I could only hope and pray that he didn't get suspicious.

As soon as he was out of sight in his room, I snapped my fingers. The hallway around me dissolved away as I was engulfed in red. When the bright light disappeared, I was in our backyard. It was rather nice back here. Asgore would every now and then come over to tend to a garden that was rapidly growing.

Asgore… Him and I were still not on good terms. I had to somehow make it up to him. The problems I had caused him, along with everyone else, needed to be amended for. Luckily, Toriel kept him level. When such a strong king cowers under his ex-wife's glare, you know she has absolute control over him. Even though Asgore was a King managing his people, Toriel managed Asgore like a pro. It was hilarious.

Not that Asgore really used the status of "King" anymore. The monsters still considered him their king, but Asgore insisted they drop the formalities. In Frisk's words, he was a tsundere. That's one thing we have in common!

Enough thinking about that though. I needed to focus. I positioned myself in the middle of the yard. Doing what Sans told me, I drowned out all thoughts. Leaving my mind blank, I listened to the songs the birds were singing. My eyes shut, leaving a serenity like I had never felt before. _Silence…_

My fists clenched. Unknowingly, my fists began emitting a red aura around them. I could feel my feet leaving the solid ground. _Focus…_ Stray rocks and twigs began hovering from their respective places. My eyes shot open, both burning with power. Everything that had left the ground flew towards me with a flash.

Remaining calm, I outstretched both of my arms. I took a deep breath, beginning to bring my arms clockwise. The objects around me began swirling in that direction. When they gathered enough momentum, my arms returned to my sides.

This was the hardest part. I had to keep them moving faster, but I couldn't let them fall. A steady channel of magic was key. My eyes shut again, feeling the magic course through my veins. _Stay in control…_

Pulses of flames began firing from my soul. They were not strong enough to actually light fire to anything. This was another sign that you had control over your magic. The gold in my soul began shining, drowning out the mangled red shards.

With a yell, my right arm thrust upward. My eyes flashed open as power was unleashed from my hand. A pillar of golden fire sprouted from my hand. The various objects hovering around with me spiraled around it, soaring through the sky.

I nearly lost my focus when I felt fire around my back area. When I realized what it was, I was genuinely surprised. Two golden fiery wings made their way around me. I shut my eyes again, trying to regain control. Was this normal? Could my magic really do this?

All of the spinning rocks, twigs, and flames around me slowed to a halt. Looks like I lost too much focus… It was good while it lasted. I let go of a breath that I hadn't realized I was holding. That was stressful. I took a swift glance at my soul.

5/5 HP

It had actually worked…Sure, it was only one better than before, but it was a start... Actually, now that I had questioned it, how had that increased my hope? I was guessing that the magic had enhanced my soul somehow… Sans would probably explain that later… At least I had bought myself more time…

I dusted myself off, not noticing who was standing directly behind me. "That… was… AWESOME!" I jumped five feet into the air in shock. When I turned around, Asriel was watching me with stars in his eyes. _Crap he saw me…_

Catching my breath, I questioned, "Asriel… how long have you been standing there?"

"Um…" He tugged on his ear nervously. "I may have followed you out here..." He said with a strained smile.

 _Dammit Asriel._ I pinched the bridge of my nose. This couldn't be helped. "You… weren't supposed to see that." What was he going to think about that? Would he tell anyone? I messed up didn't I?

"But that was so cool!" He seemed to be beaming with excitement. Tilting his head to the side, he asked, "What… were you doing anyways?"

"Um…" How could I get around this… "It was nothing. I was just testing my magic." Technically I was… but not in that kind of way… "Just don't tell anyone you saw that." The stake of my cover was in Asriel's hands now. _Great…_

"But… Why not?" He asked, unsure of whether he had crossed a line.

"Listen Asriel, I can't exactly explain to you why I have to do that." I explained. There was no real excuse for using that kind of excessive magic. "Here, I'm done with it now. Let's just go do what you want to do." I said in a vain attempt to drop the subject.

"Um… okay…" He agreed nervously. _What was he thinking about?_ "Actually," He shuffled his feet. "Do you think you could teach me how to do that?"

 _Nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope nope._ "Um…" A bead of sweat dripped down my forehead. "I… that's not…" I paused, trying to find how to explain that I can't exactly teach him that. "It's a bit extreme and I honestly don't know how to explain it…"

He seemed a bit let down… "Oh, that's fi-"

"But I can show you how to do some other things!" _I internally screamed at myself for offering that. Why brain, why?_

His eyes lit up in excitement. "Really?" _Toriel was going to kill me…_ He looked like an excited child going to a candy store. _That saying is really old actually…_ "Oh my gosh I always wondered how to do that thing that you do with your magic." _Asriel stop rambling, please. You are giving me cuteness overload._ "Like… that cool delta rune looking thing…"

"Sentinels…" I finished the thought for him.

"You gotta show me! C'mon!" _Was it even possible for him to do it? Well… if what that Gaster person said was true, I had his magic. In turn that would probably mean he could previously call upon sentinels…_

I didn't want to disappoint him if he couldn't do it. "Asriel, I'm really not sure whether it will actually work for you…" I explained. "Just… don't get your hopes up too much."

That didn't seem to bring him down at ALL. He was just as enthusiastic as before. "Well we gotta try!" He grabbed my arm, pulling me back to the middle of the yard. I showed no resistance, knowing that he would forcefully bring me over if I did.

When we finally reached our destination, he released me so I could explain. How had Sans explained this to me? Well, maybe trying to learn how much magic he already knew would work. "So, if I can tell you how to do this, I need to know how much magic you already know."

This got him a little nervous. For what? I wasn't sure. "U-Um… well mom taught me some basic fire magic before…" He didn't finish the thought. "But I can also make some other types of magic! I'm just a bit rusty at it…"

I only had experience with the fire department. Hopefully we wouldn't be calling the actual fire department after this… "Alright. How I created mine, was done using fire magic, which is both of our bases I assume, to create a defensive object." I paused, seeing as he was trying to focus. "Granted, I'm not exactly sure what yours will do. Mine were more offensive if anything…"

"Alright… but how do I do that?" He questioned.

"I'm… not really sure. Sans said something about drawing the power from your soul." _Why was Asriel having trouble knowing how to use magic? He was a monster. Weren't they essentially magic?_

He squinted his eyes shut, trying to focus any magic. After a minute, we realized we were doing something wrong. He opened his eyes, confused. "Why… is my magic not responding?" Asriel looked down at his own hands, confused.

 _What were we missing… Wait…_ "Asriel, when was the last time you actually used your magic?"

That seemed to get him thinking. His eyes widened in shock and realization. "I-I haven't used it at all after I came back…"

 _That was all I needed to hear._ "Alright, then I know what's wrong." He raised his gaze to me with hope. "You know how whenever I use my magic my eyes begin glowing?" I questioned. I received a nod from the confused goat boy. "And you have the golden one now… right?"

The solution seemed to have hit him. "O-Oh…" His magic was now connected to his eye like mine. Sure, I could use magic without having my eye active, but it didn't work as well. Asriel was probably no different. "But… it hurts…"

Of course, Alphys had only taught him how to restrain the eye. Controlling it was a completely different story. I only felt pain in mine when I don't activate them by myself. Unlike… previous times… "I can teach you how to control it. I-I promise you that I can help you not feel that pain. Unless you don't want to do this anym-"

"No," He said with affirmity. "I can handle it." Even though he said that, the nervous expression on his face betrayed him. I raised an eyebrow to him. He glanced at me in the corner of his eye. "Just tell me how to do it."

"Demanding…" I teasingly muttered. This only earned an eyeroll from him. "Alright, Alphys taught you how to restrain the eye so it won't activate. What you're going to want to do is keep that in mind, but channel the power through your eye. It's basically an excess magic output. Or, at least that's what I assume from personal experience."

He seemed to get the point. "Alright, I'll try." I stood back watching as Asriel began to focus. The air around us grew tense. With a yell, he raised his arm up. Fire spewed out of his palm, collecting into the air above him. The flames began collecting in the all too familiar shape. Asriel had done it. The sentinel loomed above him, waiting for an order. We both seemed as if we were in disbelief. _How much more could he do that I could do?_ "I… I did it?"

I approached behind his astonished form. My left eye had begun glowing red without warning. Probably just because I was surprised. "That was a nice show you put on there Azzy." I remarked, giving him a slight nudge on his side.

Noticing me using his nickname, he let out a groan. "Not you too!" Frisk called him that ALL the time. Of course the two love birds would have nicknames for each other. I laughed a bit, both of our eyes dimming. The sentinel in front of us dissolved into nothingness. "But yeah, that was cool."

We stood there in silence, both thinking deeply. My hope… even though I could bring it up… how much longer did I have? Now… I wouldn't leave them behind for the world. _Dammit… stupid hope…_ If my will to live was so strong, why was my hope still going down? And, how long until everyone else catches on?

I just wanted to tell them so bad. No matter how tough I try to act, I'm just an idiot who can't make choices. But, they would try to help me, only to make it worse. Either way… it seemed like there was no hope…

Asriel on the other hand, was thinking different thoughts. I still hadn't known yet about his whole conversation with Frisk, but he knew something was wrong with me. This worried, insecure side of me had only been shown after Chara died. _After he killed my friend…_ But, now it was back. But why? Asriel decided that he didn't need to know what was wrong. He would help me in any way he could. Because, to him, I was worth saving.

* * *

"C'mon, you're so slow!" Asriel playfully exclaimed.

The crickets chirping through the night were all around us. He had wanted to take me to one of his favorite spots. Of course, being the gullible me I am, I agreed. "Asriel, mom is going to turn us to ashes if she gets home before us!" I hissed at him.

He paid no mind, only continuing to drag me up towards Mt. Ebott. Now, I know what you're thinking, "How did you get there so fast if it was a day trip at most?" Well, funny story. Asriel and I had continued to search for the limits in his magic, and he figured out how to teleport. Whether this was a good thing or not, I had yet to find out. Now I couldn't escape during one of his morning hug attacks.

The mountain was extremely steep. I began questioning his logic as to why he wouldn't teleport us to the top, but he "Wanted to enjoy the sights." This was an illogical answer being that it was pitch black everywhere.

When we finally reached the peak, I was exhausted. Before you say that I have low stamina, one, I had done excessive magical training the previous morning, and two, running up a mountain sucks. How had Frisk done this? Then again, Frisk was _really_ something. A child, taking on the role of ambassador was astonishing. Granted, Asgore did most of the legal things, but Frisk was mainly there to talk about experiences with the underground. You couldn't really put the fate of monsters into better hands. _But… why did I suddenly think that phrase was wrong?_

When we stopped, Asriel pulled me down onto the ground. We both laid there, side by side, staring up at the sky. I understood now why he loved this spot. When I was alone in the city, stars were very rare around those parts. Here, however, they covered the sky like a sheet of light. There were just so _many._

Asriel turned his furry head to face me. "Well you look a bit _starstruck._ " He teased.

Quickly noticing the pun, a smile cracked on my face. "Yeah, I'm STARting to see why you like this so much…" I remarked, leaving the obvious pun hanging in the air. We both were silent for a few seconds before bursting into reckless laughter. Why we thought our pointless puns were funny? Only God knows.

Wiping a tear from his eye, Asriel resumed looking towards the sky in silence. There was something on his mind. "Hey, Asriel, you feeling alright?" I asked.

He let out a sigh. "Can… Can I… trust you with something?" He asked, not meeting my gaze. I slowly nodded, not sure if he could see me. Apparently he noticed, because he kept going. "In the Underground, there were these flowers called "Echo Flowers.""

I had seen those throughout my trek through Waterfall. Some of them were… well… Asriel continued his tale. "Well, Chara and I used to always go out into Waterfall and talk to the Echo Flowers." He smiled at the memory. "Heh, one time we got them all to say "butt". It was worth it…" _Where was he going with this?_ "One day, while looking up at the fake stars on the ceiling, we made wishes. I… asked for Chara to go first…" His expression turned to one of sadness. "They were afraid I would laugh at them. But, Chara is my friend. When they finally told me their wish, I did laugh accidently."

"W-What was their wish?" I asked, trying not to intrude too much.

"T-Their wish was… "Someday, I'd like to climb this mountain we're all buried under. Standing under the sky, looking at the world all around... That's my wish."" He started trembling violently.

Red flags came up in my mind. What was he talking about? _Did he still feel that guilt?_ "A-Asriel, you know I don't blame you for what happened anymore." I wouldn't lie, it still hurt to remember all of that. I thought about it more than I'd like to admit.

"No… I already know that… It's just…" He faced up towards the sky. The change in his tone was evident. "It was my wish too…" Tears began welling up in Asriel's eyes. He couldn't hold it back anymore. He burst into tears, shoving his head into his hands.

At a loss of what to do, I did the one thing I had done before when he was like this. Asriel flinched when he realized that he was locked into my embrace. When he knew he was safe, I felt his body relax. The only sound that passed between us was Asriel's sobbing.

How long we stayed at the top of the mountain? We didn't know. But, we both enjoyed this moment. To think that a month ago, I was alone on the streets. I was brought back to reality when Asriel's arm shifted out of our little hug. "T-Thanks for listening to me." He said with a sad smile. "B-But, we should p-probably get home."

My eyes widened in realization. Hopefully, Toriel wasn't panicking yet. When I reached for my phone, there were no calls or texts on the front screen. She still hadn't come home yet… "Yeah, you're right." We both stood up, facing towards the decline of the mountain. "Teleport or walk?" I asked, looking at him from the corner of my eye.

"Um… let's just teleport. It's faster." He stated. I nodded in agreement, extending my hand for him to take it. Asriel reached out to accept it, but was confused as I pulled away. When he looked up to my face, he could see the obvious pain in my expression. "H-Hey, are you okay?"

I shoved my hands into my pockets. _He deserved to know._ "Actually, can I trust you with a secret of my own?" I questioned, looking everywhere but his face.

Asriel grabbed his own arm, unsure of what I was about to say. This _was_ the goal of today after all. But, what if it was best if he didn't know? But… he had to know. "Y-Yes… What is it?"

A sigh escaped my mouth. "Ever since my meeting with Sans, I've been hiding from you guys. But, you figured that out pretty fast if I must admit." I stated, looking up to the sky. "You have to promise, not to tell anyone about this Asriel. Do you agree to that?"

' _But… Frisk and I are trying to work together on this…'_ He thought to himself. It was a secret that would be hard to keep. Hesitantly, he nodded.

I was secretly hoping he would have said no, but this was how it had to be. "Everyday I keep feeling weaker. I went to Sans to ask why this was happening, and…" I paused. "I-... Asriel…" The words I had formed slipped away. I took a deep breath, trying to regain confidence. "My soul is slowly dying."

 **Ouch...**

 **I tried to go for fluff this chapter, but it did a 180 on me...**

 **THAT WAS A LONG CHAPTER... NO REGRETS THO**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30: Truths and Lies**

"W-What?" Fear crossed his face. The lights in his eyes had gone away, being replaced with sadness. "Y-You can't b-be serious!"

My head hung low. I couldn't look at the hurt in his eyes. It was too painful. "Asriel, I'm telling the truth." I admitted.

All hope that was left on his face seemed to disappear. "W-Why didn't you tell us?"

I held my hands up, trying to get him to calm down. "Asriel, please… calm down."

"Calm down? CALM DOWN?" He choked on his words. But, that didn't stop him. "Y-You just told me th… that you could…" Asriel bit back tears.

"I-I'm sorry I didn't tell you." I apologized, trying to contain everything that was building up within me. "I-I wasn't supposed to. But n-now I guess it's too late… I thought you should at least know…"

"What d-do you mean you weren't supposed to?" I noticed a gold gleam forming in his right eye.

This was not good at all. I had really just screwed up, hadn't I? "Asriel, I didn't want to hurt you more than I had to. I-I'm trying to fix this but…" I felt my hope drop. Sans was right, this really took effect in your soul. "Asriel, the more you do this, the more my hope drops. Please… can we talk about this?"

He paused for a moment, before saying with affirmity, "You better get talking."

"Okay, just please hear me out." Remembering everything Sans and I had talked about, I got to explaining. "When you guys adopted me, I started feeling weaker. I decided to talk to Sans about it, and he checked my soul. The next day…" A grave expression crossed my face. Asriel connected the dots on why I left that day. "Sans brought me two pieces of info on my soul."

I placed a hand over my chest, drawing out my red and gold soul. The golden light within it had seemed to die down. "My… soul was connected to your's and Chara's. Without you two, my hope began faltering…"

"H-How did-"

"I don't know Asriel!" I interrupted. "I have no clue how our souls even were combined in the first place! All I know is…" I trailed off, realizing my huge mistake. _How was I supposed to explain that… thing to him._

"All you know is what?" He questioned, arching a brow.

There was no way around this. I had really screwed up. "All I know is a man named Gaster." I said to him.

Silence filled the air around us. His eyes widened when I had spoken. "U-Um… what d-did you say?"

"I know a man named Gaster." I spoke again, getting irritated.

He turned away, bringing his fur backwards in panic. "I-I'm not hallucinating." Asriel mumbled to himself. Realizing how confused I was, he motioned behind my shoulder. "When you say that… T-Those hands start moving."

Processing what he just said, I looked over my shoulder. All that was there was thin air. "Asriel, there is nothing here." I said, my voice filled with worry. Was he seeing the hallucinations that I saw? This had gone on long enough. "Asriel, we need to get home, now."

"But you still haven't-" He tried to protest, only to get interrupted.

"I know you're worried Asriel, but we're both trying to get through this. It isn't going to do any good just standing out in the cold." I pointed out. "Just… keep that promise to me… okay?"

Inside, I knew that eventually he'd tell someone. But for now, he agreed. "A-Alright. But if t-things get worse, I'm getting help."

I shut my eyes, grabbing his hand. "Heh… Thanks for looking out for me Az."

Our vision focused. We were now standing in front of our house. Toriel's car still was not present. She was taking her sweet time. Before I could walk to my room, Asriel had stopped me. "Um, Asriel? Everything alright?"

He didn't respond at first, only insisting to embrace me. "P-Promise me… promise me you w-won't leave us."

A faint smile made its way across my face. "Asriel, I'm not going anywhere. I promise." I wanted to keep that promise…

3/3 HP

* * *

 _3 days remain…_

The cold air of the morning chilled me down to the bone. Using my magic, I summoned a flame to at least offer some warmth. The cold had come faster this year. I stood across from Asriel, trying to persuade him that this was a good thing. We had come out here early, telling Toriel where we were heading. Asriel and I were both going to test the limits to our magic. Not to mention, this could bring my hope up and help Asriel grow more comfortable with his new magic.

"A-Are you SURE this is a good idea?" Asriel asked for literally the fiftieth time. "What if you get hurt?"

I rolled my eyes, slightly slouching. "That's a slim chance. Keep in mind about the whole "killing intent" thing. So unless you actually want to hurt me, I'm fine." I stated for the fifth time. "Look, this will help me get my hope up, but it will also get you more comfortable with your new magic."

Of course, he wasn't fully persuaded to attack me. Of course he wouldn't. I had low hope after all. "I-I just don't feel comfortable attacking you. It just doesn't seem right!"

"Alright then…" I shut my eyes. "What would Frisk say?" I winked at the goat boy. "Oh no! My heroic prince not fighting!?"

He crossed his arms, unamused. "Frisk doesn't say that."

Perfect opportunity you just gave me Asriel. "Of course you'd know that. You know them all too well."

Gold fire began swirling in his right eye. It was working. "Stop! We are just friends!"

I shot him a challenging look. "Oh really? Because pretty much every monster knows. Pretty obvious if ya ask me." My eyes widened as a gold flame sped past my face. My head snapped to the source, a grin appearing in response. "Now that you're riled up, wanna actually do this?"

"You bet I am!" He yelled in response.

My hand covered my left eye. I flicked it down, red fire swirling outward. "Let's do this."

* * *

"What have we learned today?" Toriel loomed over the two of us, tapping her foot expectantly.

Asriel and I both lowered our heads in shame. But from the corner of our eyes, we saw a small smirk on each others faces. We had a bit of an… accident. Well, we set fire to the field and Toriel had to put it out by restraining it. I had no clue how to do that. It was worth the experience.

We both replied nonchalantly. "No magic in public unless you're under supervision." Sure, Toriel was going mean mom mode on us, but we had learned a bit. Asriel could actually could use star magic. Apparently he had two bases. Star blazing was hard to dodge. But now, instead of the stars, the grass was blazing.

"That's right. Now, you two get inside and clean yourselves up." She commanded. We nodded, rushing off before we got turned to ash. When we were out of earshot, Toriel bowed her head downward. There was too much on her mind right now.

She had gotten a call from Asgore. At first, she was planning to hang up on her Ex-husband, but when she heard what he said… she was livid. The humans had decided to bring up the six children. The six young children who died because she couldn't take care of them. The six kids who were slaughtered by Asgore…

The council was now planning on what to do about it. Toriel could only assume that it wasn't me speaking in the first assembly, but Chara. Now, Chara couldn't be there to back the monsters up. The responsibility was now on the monsters. But, there was little to no way around this.

If the humans were to know the _truth,_ there could be a war. Another barrier could be placed up, stronger than the last. Her poor children, stuck in a prison, never to see the real sun again. No, this couldn't happen again. Toriel knew that Frisk would try to reason, but as for me? I was a whole new story.

Toriel didn't exactly know how, but she knew I would stop at nothing to get revenge. A barrier wouldn't keep me from destroying every human if they did this. It was best if I didn't know. Not yet at least… Although, Frisk was bound to tell everyone the news… With a sigh, she began walking back to our home, sadness in her eyes.

* * *

" **What… have you DONE?"**

" **I told you… I warned you that it would only make things worse to be friends with them…"**

" **..."**

" **But no…"**

" **Now you're going to make this even harder on them."**

" **3 days remain S-3. I'll be waiting."**

* * *

After many more lectures from Toriel on how to not set fields on fire, we were waiting outside for Frisk. What was weird was the fact that Toriel asked me specifically if I wanted to go hang out with Sans. She _never_ would do that, considering that she was already suspicious of him. So, obviously, she was hiding something from me.

Well, or she could be trying to get me away from Asgore. We… still hadn't talked things over. _Seriously, it's been like nineteen chapters…_ A wall shattered somewhere, but no one noticed it… Still, we needed to get things sorted out.

Asriel fidgeted slightly next to me. Seeing his expression, I assumed he was lost in thought. He had to take the responsibility of keeping a secret that could… well… change everything. He caught my gaze from the corner of his eye. There was so much conflict within him. "Hey?" I slightly nudged him to grab his attention. "It'll be fine, alright?" I whispered, making sure Toriel couldn't hear.

He turned his head away, not wanting to acknowledge what was bothering him. I thought that maybe after this morning, I could take his mind off of my soul. But, that hadn't worked. He went back to normal as soon as we got home. That same broken feeling that he tried so hard to hide.

At least he perked up when we saw Asgore and Frisk driving down the road. Of course, keeping this secret from Frisk would be hard for him. Those two nearly never kept anything from each other. _This further supported my ship theory._ Also, I couldn't remember when the last time was that Asriel had talked to Asgore.

They pulled up to the driveway, getting out. Asriel rushed over to Asgore, hugging him with a smile. But… I knew something was up. The words that passed between the two were half hearted. Asgore told him something, and Asriel's grin disappeared. My eyes narrowed. Something was up.

Frisk wasn't looking good either. What had happened? _Right, it was a meeting with humans._ Anything could have gone wrong. From where I was standing, I couldn't hear too much. They were speaking in hushed whispers as if trying to not allow me to know. Whatever it was, it had to be serious.

Toriel seemed to be giving him the death glare now. Honestly, I think we were all terrified of Toriel. Actually, scratch that, we were all definitely scared of Toriel. When Asgore began approaching me, fear gripped at my soul. Toriel was eyeing him carefully. "Human…" _I have a name…_ "May I talk to you for a moment?"

Before I could answer, Toriel interrupted, "Dreemurr, he is fine. He doesn't need to know."

 _It was at that exact moment… she knew… she had f'd up._ "Know about what?" I asked. "I mean, whatever it is…" My red eye flashed. "I'm pretty sure I can handle it."

This only earned me Toriel pinching the bridge of her nose. "This is exactly what I'm talking about…" _She was worried that I'd snap…_

"Tori- Toriel…" He corrected himself. "He has a right to know what is about to take place." Toriel solemnly nodded. "It seems that… the humans have still not forgiven us for the six children who… died before Frisk."

"But… I thought Chara-"

"No, that didn't help our cause." He interrupted. "However, the humans have decided that they are going to delve further into investigation on these children. If… they find anything…"

Silence passed between us. "Yeah, I get it…" A crack sound echoed through the air. I knew exactly what it was…

2/2 HP

"My child, what was that noise?" Toriel asked in worry. That wasn't going to slip by.

"I-I don't know?"

Asriel was not taking any of that crap. He gave me a look that meant, "You better talk soon…" I had told a promise to the wrong person. Of course, I trusted something very serious with Asriel who was a walking cinnamon roll. Giant flaw in a plan right there.

Toriel arched a brow at the two of us. "No, you know _exactly_ what that was." She said with a hint of anger in her voice. "It's time you stopped hiding whatever this _thing_ you have been doing is."

"No thank you!" I spun round on my heel. "I'd rather keep personal problems to myself thanks!"

"Now where do you think you-" A red flash nearly blinded everyone. When their vision readjusted, I was gone. "I hate it when he does that…" Toriel muttered under her breath.

* * *

The grey walls and floor of New Home came into my vision. When I landed on the ground, I slightly fell to the side, only catching myself on the wall. Long distance teleport with low hope is a bad idea…

Seeing that I was alone, I drew my soul from my chest. _Just as I thought._ My soul had divided into even more fragments. The gold light was dimmer than normal, but it still managed to keep the soul together. Red and gold dust began falling from my soul and onto the floor. _I wasn't going to last much longer…_

I tried to take a step forward, but collapsed as soon as my foot came to the ground. That teleporting really took a toll on me. The sound of someone teleporting sounded behind me. _Great, Asriel had somehow found me…_ There was no use in running. I could barely even walk.

When footsteps came around the corner, I was surprised. "sup kiddo." Sans wore his normal grin, staring down at where I was helplessly sitting.

"Well…" I began, "Aside from the fact that Toriel is onto me, my soul cracked, and Asriel knows about this whole thing…" I looked up to the ceiling. "Yep, perfectly fine."

He groaned in annoyance. "And this is why I told you not to tell anyone."

"Look," I explained, "I trust Asriel. And if things get really bad with my soul, he'll know when to tell someone."

"And… that's good because?" He asked, tilting his head to the side. "How do you know he isn't going to just tell everyone immediately…"

I sighed in annoyance. "I know he is gullible, but we are talking about the kid who kept a secret for Chara committing suicide." My voice died out at the end. Whenever I mentioned Chara… it brought back that one memory.

"Which… is exactly why he'd tell. He doesn't want you to end up the same way Chara did." _Oh god dammit I didn't think that through._ "Aaaanyways, you also said something about your soul?"

"Oh, yeah…" My soul appeared in front of me again. More cracks had begun forming. "I would _crack_ a joke here. But I don't have the _heart_ for it."

"Kid… just stop." He pointed to the soul. "That is _not_ something you should be joking about."

"Yeah… I know…" My eyes flickered to the floating heart in front of my face. "So, did you hear about the meeting?" I asked, shoving my soul back into my chest.

"Heh, yep. I actually came down here to take care of some stuff before…" He trailed off. "Well, nevermind."

I wasn't letting that slide. He knew something. "Alright, what are you thinking about?"

"It's nothing." He pressed a hand against the wall. "I just don't want to be stuck down here again… Better safe than sorry…" Silence passed between us. Neither of us moved, mainly because I couldn't. "Do ya want me to take you back?" He eventually asked.

"Nope, I came down here to see if I could find anything about the souls. And, maybe get away from everyone else for a bit."

"Funny, I was just about to do the same…" He shrugged. "How about we spend a bit of time down here until things clear up. It's an easy excuse for Tori."

"That's not a bad idea… Granted, Asriel has to keep his mouth shut." I mentioned. "I'll do it…" I tried to get up, only to fail. "As soon as I actually can get up…"

"Hehheheh, just like old times huh? You and me… researching stuff…" He balanced on his heels.

"Except for that you did the studying and I was just messing around with magic…"

"Close enough…"

* * *

" **Hm…"**

" **Maybe I should keep him a bit longer to deal with those humans…"**

" **..."**

" **No…"**

" **I'll deal with them myself."**

 **0-0-0-0-0-0-0-0**

 **#When you forget how to do a line break**

 **Sorry for taking forever to update. School started and Writer's block is a piece of crap.**

 **You all ask why the world keeps blowing up?**

A nerd sat in the corner of his room. He typed random words onto a computer for a fanfic. Then, suddenly, a glowing red button appeared next to him. He kept spamming it, wondering what it does...

*meanwhile in Undertale*

*world blowing up noises*

 **But, there are some other things I need to talk about guys. If you haven't seen my profile yet, I'll tell you here. Someone, a friend, found my fanfic and judges me for it constantly. Now, the info is spreading around my school. It's demoralizing and unfair. Just because I enjoy writing, doesn't mean I'm stupid. It just makes it harder to write this...**

 **But, don't worry. I'm not going anywhere anytime soon. Just don't judge people for things that they like doing guys. Because, you don't know what that person is really like inside...**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMERboy15 Out**


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31: One Hope**

 _1 day remains…_

"So… you think this was a dead end?" Sans asked me from the other side of a library. We had searched New Home for any royal library, and sure enough, we found one. It was run down, but contained enough info about the humans who passed through down here. Of course, we'd hide these later.

"Yep…" I admitted defeat. We had already looked yesterday and found nothing. Today was no different. All we learned was how they died. Even so, my hope had dwindled down to one. "Do you think there would be anything in the Library in Snowdin?" I asked him.

"Well, possibly. Most of the books were moved, similar to this place…"

I shrugged. "Wouldn't hurt to try…" There was no harm in at least checking. "But, can we not teleport? I don't want my soul cracking further…" I asked, remembering how broken it looked yesterday.

He nodded in understanding. "Yeah, sure thing kiddo." His hand motioned towards an elevator. "After you."

As we stepped in, my phone began ringing. Pulling it from my pocket, I realized it was Asriel. Toriel was fully aware that we were in the Underground checking for anything left behind. Although she did not support Sans watching me, she ended up agreeing. But, Asriel had yet to call me in the past day.

Sans looked at me as if saying, "Are you gonna answer that or what?"

I sighed, answering the phone. "Sup Asriel?"

"Oh, um, hi…" I heard from the other side of the phone. "So… how is everything going?" He asked with curiosity.

"Um… well…" I glanced over at Sans who shrugged. "We haven't found too much."

"I meant your soul." He deadpanned. Although, the worry in his voice was quite evident. "Has anything changed?"

"Um…" I looked to Sans for help. He shook his head, telling me NOT to say anything about it depleting. "It's fine right now. Nothing changed."

The phone was silent for a moment. He was thinking… "You're a horrible liar." He stated. I remained silent, not responding to that notion. "Look, you can't keep hiding this from them forever."

I glanced to the side. The elevator doors parted, letting us walk out. "I know that. But, I don't want to get them worked up over nothing just yet."

"This is definitely something to get worked up about…" He sighed, seemingly shifting the phone.

"So… how have you been doing?" I asked, trying desperately to change the subject.

He seemed to play along with it for a moment. "It's been fine. You got yourself out of watching anime again…" From my side of the phone, I let out a sigh of relief. "But… when are you coming home?"

The heat of Hotlands blasted Sans and I as we kept walking. That was a good question Asriel had just asked. When would I be able to go back? If Sans and I did, we'd have to walk by foot. Teleporting wasn't an option for me anymore. "I don't know Asriel…"

Nothing came across the line for a few seconds. "A-Alright. Just be careful… okay?"

"Sure thing Azzy." I responded. "I'll be back before you know it." _I knew that was a lie._

"Promise?" He asked, hope returning back to his voice.

"Yeah, I promise." I reassured him. "And then you get to tell me ALL about how you and Frisk are coming along."

I could hear his palm meet his face from the other side of the phone. "Ugh, you're impossible." He tried to keep himself composed, but I heard a small laugh come from him. "Hey, call me every now and then… okay?"

A grin crept on my face. _Asriel, you're too caring…_ "Alright Azzy. See you soon?"

"Yeah… see you soon…" He said, ending the call.

* * *

"Do you think this is slightly betraying him?" Asriel asked the human sitting next to him. They had been listening to the whole conversation with him.

Frisk began signing, "Well, it's for his own good. But, I'm glad you told me Asriel."

"I-I know…" He looked to the floor in shame. "I just want him to be safe. Bennett has a habit of shutting people out…"

"Well, you seemed to get into that thick skull of his." They stated.

A small smile formed on Asriel's face. "I guess I did… But still, that doesn't change the state of his soul."

"Well, that's the hard part." Frisk put a hand on their chin, thinking. "We could always ask Alphys for help."

Asriel thought about it for a moment. "Well, no… you and I both know Sans is a lot smarter than Alphys. Even though he doesn't always show it…" He trailed off. "After all, Sans has the most experience with being a one HP monster…"

"T-That is true…" The human looked up at the ceiling. "But that leads to the next notion…" Their expression grew serious. "If the humans find anything about the six children, there could possibly be charges, or another war…"

Asriel's eyes widened. "Wait, you don't mean…"

"No Asriel, if the humans declare war on us… he will not hesitate to kill them…" It all made sense to Asriel now. "And, being that he has one HP, he'll do something reckless."

"So…" Processing this new information was proving difficult for Asriel. "Instead of trying to fix Bennett's soul, Sans is trying to prevent a war from even starting…" Frisk nodded in response. This was making more sense. "Frisk, you know how the humans have reacted to the killings in the past, what _exactly_ happened?"

This was an obvious reference to the many resets. Frisk hated touching up on them, but they had happened. Or… not really… "They didn't hesitate to declare war. There was no fair warning or anything…"

Silence fell in the room. _It had all happened so fast…_ "And… you can't reset?"

"Nope… he overrode my save file somehow…" Frisk mumbled. "Bennett could potentially load a save everytime he dies, but he doesn't know how. Not to mention… we really don't need humanity being destroyed."

Asriel nodded, "Definitely agreed."

Both of them went dead silent when they heard Toriel coming up the stairs. She knew they were awake. It was nearly ten at night. "You two better go to sleep in there."

Both Frisk and Asriel let out a squeal and hopped in their respective beds. "W-We're going to sleep mom!" Asriel yelled, making Frisk cringe.

The human signed, "Couldn't you have tried to act like we were already asleep?" This only earned a shrug from Asriel.

A giggle escaped Toriel as she walked past their room. "Alright you two, you sleep well, alright?" She flicked the light switch off, leaving the two in darkness.

It took them at least half an hour to realize sleep wasn't going to come easy. Then, Frisk got an idea. They'd only seen Asriel do it once, but it was beautiful the last time they saw the spectacle. "Hey Azzy, can you do that light thing with your magic?"

The goat boy's head turned to the human. "Are you sure? It might wake mom up…"

"Just this once, pleeeaaaaseee." They begged, trying to pull a puppy face.

Asriel rolled his eyes in defeat. "Fiiiiine." He snapped his fingers, little orbs of flame and stars shooting from them. The room danced with color as the fire and stars danced along the ceiling with ease. Frisk's eyes widened at the spectacle.

That was, until all of the magic suddenly fizzled out. "A-Azzy? Are you alright?" Frisk called from the other side of the room.

"Yeah… I'm fine, it's just…" He shut his eyes. "I just feel like something is horribly wrong…"

* * *

My arm fell to my side. Maybe there wouldn't be a next time… What if… what if we never did see each other again… There was no denying it anymore. I could die at any given moment. It was only by some miracle that it hadn't shattered yet. "Hey kid," Sans jarred me out of my thoughts. "You seem like you have a lot on your mind…"

I sighed, shoving my hands into my pockets. "How do you do it Sans? You've been at one hope ever since I met you…" A sad chuckle escaped from my lips. "And me? I've been dropping with no end to it… You don't even get held back by your condition…"

Sans glanced to the side. "Well… that's why I didn't want you to be like me…" His eye sockets shut. "In reality, I get held back a ton by this whole 1 HP thing… The fact is, when you're like me…" His eye sockets opened, leaving an empty void beyond them. "You kinda just have to stop feeling…" A dead silence passed between the two of us. "I didn't want you to have to do that…"

How… how could someone just go throughout life without feeling? Sure, Sans had his moments… but he was always closed off? It was as if he just completely shut out the world. However, when he did have his moments, he could calm himself down… How did he even live like this? He continued, the lights in his eye sockets returning, "By no means is it a good thing… And, we gotta find a way to get your soul back to full state…"

"And… why not you?" I asked. "Why don't we try to get yours back to full hope?"

"Well uh…" He scratched the back of his skull. "Your soul is still in a state where it can be recovered. Me? It'd take a ton to even raise it by one…"

Yet another elevator came into view. When we stepped in, I pulled out my soul to check on its status. The red in it was now tiny shards just barely being held together by a gold light. Said gold light was dimming more and more… "Yeah… I think I'm beyond being helped too…"

With a ding, the doors opened back up. Waterfall was getting closer. "That's what you'd think. But, you humans have a ton of determination. Us monsters… we melt when we get too determined… Our bodies can't stay stable. You, on the other hand, can still maintain yourself longer at this rate."

"So… as long as I have the will to live… my soul won't shatter anytime soon…?" I asked, hope in my voice.

He paused, giving it a bit of thought. "Well, yes and no…" _Of course… there was always a catch._ "While determination is an amazing and powerful tool, it can only go so far… With your soul, you are nearly a third monster. This means… your soul can't stay stable if you push yourself way too hard."

"But…" I recalled the fight with Omega Flowey. "I was able to refuse death… how could I push my determination any further than that?"

The ground beneath us became muddy. We had made it to Waterfall. "Good question," Sans responded. "Well, your magic is half powered by determination alone. Losing control of it… that'd ensure your soul to break further." He paused. "And don't even begin to think you can refuse death when you run out of hope. When your soul rejoins, it'll break right back. If ya have zero hope, you can't do anything."

"How motivational!" I said with sarcasm riddling my voice. I waited for a snarky comeback, but heard none. That was odd. When I looked to my side, my eyes widened in panic. _Sans was gone._ All that was with me was dead silence. A forced grin spread across my face, "Haha, very funny Sans. You got me!" I yelled through the silence. _Nobody came…_ "S-Sans? This isn't funny!"

" **C…"**

My head snapped down a small walkway. _I had most definitely heard something._ Whatever was happening, it was _not_ good. Sans wouldn't abandon me once I only had one hope remaining. He loved joking, but this would be a stretch, even for him. "H-Hello?" I call out. All that was in the hallway with me was a grey door. It seemed… out of place.

" **Come… here…"**

 _Okay, I had DEFINITELY heard something that time._ It seemed to be coming from the door. My instincts were telling me not to go there, but… _it was as if I couldn't turn back… Creepy voices, a walkway that is the equivalent of a dark alley…_ So, I did the one logical thing. I kept freaking walking. _I was a bloody idiot._

The grey door was slightly ajar. All that was inside was darkness. Taking one last glance to see if Sans was around, I stepped through the door. As soon as I was through, the door slammed shut behind me. I whirled my head around, only seeing black tentacles blocking the way out. When I turned my head back to the dark room, I could see someone there.

" **Welcome Player… I have been expecting you…"**

 **WOOOOOO**

 **HOW MUCH DO YOU GUYS HATE ME RIGHT NOW :D**

 **Cliffhangers man... I love doing em**

 **Now, before we get onto the reviews... I just want to make something clear. I AM NOT DOING LEMONS. Someone asked me to do one over PM, and I was disgusted. To prove my point to you, here is a clip, brought to you by MTT Studios**

"U-Um, young one, I do not thing this is appropriate for the audience..." Toriel speaks in a soft voice.

The author arches a brow. "Oh reLAX, I'm not gonna do anything stupid..."

Asriel is more confused than ever. "Wait, isn't a lemon just a fruit? What am I missing." _Asriel, you're too precious for this world._

The author points to the weird reader who requested this. "You WANT A LEMON!?" He whips out a lemon (yes, the fruit) from his pocket. "Here is yo lemon." The lemon is thrown onto a table. "Alright Chara, some people miss you so this is all you."

 _ **"Oh finally, after you killed me off I got bored..."**_ A ghostly red Chara appeared above the lemon. About five hundred knives materialized above their head. "DIIIEEEEEEEEE"

RIP Lemon, 2016-2016

 **Well that happened...**

 **ARE YOU GUYS READY FOR THE END OF THE GASTER ARC? BECAUSE IT'S COMING IN... a bit?**

 **Also, reviews will be answered at the beginning of next chapter for... reasons =)**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	32. Chapter 32

**Alright guys, it's time... Some of you have been expecting this and I believe this will not disappoint... I'm honestly scared if you guys are gonna kill me after this chapter ;-;**

 **I seem to do this a lot huh? Welp, I cried again this chapter because GUESS WHAT? Character Death up ahead**

 **Chapter 32: Shadows of Our Past**

My face grew pale as he called me "player." I had never been associated with a title like that, but it sounded so familiar. It sounded so _wrong._ Why did it sound so familiar yet so horrifying. The name… it felt like scenarios of life and death were playing in my mind when the name was mentioned.

I scratched the back of my head in confusion. First of all, who was this guy? Second… player… _why did that feel so wrong?_ "U-um… are you sure I'm this player you're l-looking for?" I asked, remembering the state I was in. With only one hope and no way to escape, all it would take is for him to attack and I'm done for.

" **Just as expected…"** The sound of shoes walking across the floor met my ears. With panic seizing my soul, I backed away towards the door. Of course, I was only met with that black substance. _Locked in…_

" _So many times I've been here… So many times I've gone back on my words… Now? Now… I feel nothing…"_

I gasped for breath, hitting the floor. That was… my voice. But… why? What had just happened? "W-What did you do…?"

The figure before me was now a silhouette. He was gazing towards a giant square of light in front of us. " **I showed you a memory… to remind you of who and what you are."** He turned to me, orbs of light shifting in eye sockets. _That was too tall to be Sans._ " **Player… look before you…"**

I tried pushing myself up, a red flame manifesting in my left eye. "Stop… calling me player… I don't know what you want… but I never did that…"

" **It's because you do not remember…"** In the light behind him, something began coming into focus. " **You do not remember your past…"** A large 8-bit heart began forming behind the figure. " **I made sure that you would never toy with our lives again…"** Under the heart, one word made itself clear. Undertale.

"I don't understand…" I mumbled. "I never toyed with any of you. I only met the monsters over a month ago…"

 _It seems bizarre at this point. I can't really think straight anymore. Yet, no one has noticed anything different about me. They are completely oblivious to facts right in front of their faces._

"S-Stop…" I whimpered. My head was panging with the strain of trying to process what was going on. "Just… who are you?"

The figure laughed. " **Do you not remember who brought you to this world?"** His face became distinct. That one menacing figure stood before me. W.D Gaster. The screen behind him disappeared. " **Hello Player… do you recognize me now?"**

My fist clenched. "Why?" I mumbled, magic sparking around us. "What do you want?" I asked, eyeing the forming magic. It was everywhere.

" **Player… let me tell you something."** Gaster folded his hands behind his back. " **Ever since I created you, well rather, reanimated you… I watched your journey…"** _Freaking stalker…_ " **But… that didn't change one thing…"** The eye sockets became hollow with no light, similar to Sans. " **You were meant for one purpose."**

That didn't sound right… "And… what is that?"

I heard a sound of Gaster Blasters forming in the air. When I whirled around, I met with a glowing DT Extractor. " **TO BRING ME BACK."** Several others surrounded me as I realized I was cornered. Red beams of determination fired from the machines. There was no way to dodge. One hope… can't dodge…

*Remembering the joy everyone shows you, it fills you with kindness.

My soul shifted to green, a shield forming in mid-air. I threw my arm up, two sentinels appearing with me. Their orbs turned green, a defensive wall blocking the blasts. I formed the three means of protection into a triangle, blocking the blast.

Song: 合唱】 ECHO (Crusher P) 【8人+α+Guitar YT/NND Chorus】

Bones shot from the ground, threatening to impale me. My soul shifted back to red. Using the free movement, I backflipped just before they reached my body. " **Strange…"** Gaster spoke. " **I hoped you would perish within the first attack… It would have made this easier…"** My soul turned blue. " **On both of us."**

His eyes turned blue and gold, flashing in sync. Realizing the pattern, I prepared to dodge. Blue blue orange blue orange orange NOW. I shot forward, but didn't attack. "Whoever you are, please, we can talk about this." I tried to negotiate. "Please, we don't need to fight."

" **We must…"** Black spikes shot from the ground, forcing me to weave.

*Gaster stares right through you…

*It seems talking won't to any good…

Six DT blasters materialized around his head. All of them held a different color. Orange, Yellow, Green, Light Blue, Dark Blue, and Purple… All six flew towards me. " **Have you ever noticed… How scripted your life is?"**

I arched a brow in confusion. That confusion was replaced by an "Oh crap" as the purple blaster fired strings of purple in my direction. A sentinel appeared behind me, launching a blue attack. The blue DT Extractor reacted, firing at its own teammate. The purple blaster gained a light blue outline. My attack passed harmlessly through it.

Using the time to escape, I jumped onto a sentinel. The wings of the machinery began lifting me higher. In a streak of gold, I zoomed across the void, the DT Blasters trailing closely. My eyes widened when orbs, containing various scenes reached my vision. What were those things?

The DT Blasters caught me off guard. The yellow one fired many small yellow bullets in my direction. My sentinel turned green, blocking the attack. Looking down, I saw Gaster standing under me. " **It's because, your whole life was just a script…"**

"What do you mean?" I asked, coming back to the ground.

" **Step one, make sure you come into contact with the Child of Darkness."**

A low ambient growl came from my throat. "Chara was NOT a bad person!" A red knife began materializing. "They gave up their own life to SAVE Asriel." Many similar knives came into existence behind my head.

Gaster gave a hollow laugh, bones appearing in the same formation. " **You only know part of the story…"** He was about to tell me, but stopped. " **No… We will save the rest for later."**

Both of our arms shot forward, knives meeting bones. In an explosion of white and red, all that was left was a cloud and us. When my vision focused, I realized something odd. My soul drew from my chest, being placed in a white box. "W-What?"

" **Surprised? If I remember correctly, this is how you fight player."** DT Blasters began firing, not at me, but at my soul. Why weren't they trying to hit me? Then, I realized. Pulling my arm to the front of the box, I drew the soul out of the way. _Interesting…_

My soul flew back into my chest. I raised a hand, calling upon sentinels. "Maybe it was how I played, maybe it wasn't." Pillars of fire sprung from the orbs, making their way towards Gaster. "But this is how I play _now."_

The fire phased _right through him._ A chuckle sounded through the void at my surprise. " **Surprised? Maybe you should pay attention that I don't exist. And soon… neither will you."** He slammed me to the ground, the blue on my soul taking effect. " **Step two: Kill off everyone who knew you to ensure no confusion…"**

My eye twitched. Flames sprung from both, a snarl coming from me. "W-What did you just say?" Gaster simply shrugged, signifying that I had heard what he said. "You really _are_ a monster…" A tear escaped my eye.

*Wanting to avenge those you loved… it fills you with DETERMINATION!

10/1 HP!

" **You want to play the determination game now?"** He questioned, placing hands behind his back. " **I can manage that!"**

 _I'm afraid that soon… I'll snap. I am dangerous, but I'm holding so much back that… well… sometimes I'm afraid of what I can do. I am a danger to everyone… so why can't this world leave me_ _ **alone…**_

9/1 HP

Massive hands appeared from thin air. Strings of white fired from the finger tips, wrapping around my sentinels. " **You won't be needing these."** He said with a smirk.

*The fallen sentinels loom over you, it fills you with Perseverance!

As if on cue, my soul turned purple. A stringy, web like substance sprung from my own hands, stretching across the void. _Since when could I do THIS!_ The fallen sentinels began charging an attack. Seeing an option to escape, I began climbing the strings. The beams of light coming from them barely missed me.

Gaster let out an annoyed grunt, trying to make chase. " **Step three: Bring you back, and bring you into contact with the monsters…"** He spoke, that broken voice chilling me down to the bone. _God dammit brain, now is not the time for puns._

My soul took back its normal red, causing me to fall back to the void floor. I turned to face whatever that _thing_ was. "They were the best thing that had ever happened to me… So why… WHY are you doing this?"

Lines of glitching words and numbers swirled along the void. " **Truthfully… I just want to see my sons… I just want to exist again…"** Even though he was attacking me, I couldn't help but feel sorry for him. " **And I will use ANY MEANS NECESSARY!"** The codes tried wrapping around me, seemingly glitching my soul.

*You feel something off…

" **Have fun without your magic Player…"** Realizing what he had done, I attempted to move out of the way. A dark blue DT Blaster began firing a blue beam down around me. Seeing as it wasn't causing direct harm, I ran over one of the blue marks it had left. My soul, with a ping, turned back to blue. _God dammit._

"Could you kindly not?" I asked, anger forming in my voice.

He didn't listen, continuing the attacks. " **Step four, use the small bit of your soul to bring back Asriel, killing Chara in the process."** A cold smile spread across his face. " **Don't you see? They were destined to DIE."**

My eyes widened in shock. _No… Chara…_ I looked him straight in the eye, a death glare forming. Fiery wings sprouted from my back. "I… will not show MERCY."

*Wanting to win this fight, it fills you with Integrity!

The scientist gasped in pain. The void floor had been turned completely into flames. " **You little…"** He glanced up, seeing that I was flying right over his head. I had completely denied his magic restraints. With a roar of rage, he hopped onto a red DT Blaster. " **Good, because neither will I!"**

I laughed, venom dripping through every sound. "Now Gaster, don't look so blue." With a ping, a blue outline of a soul manifested on his chest. "You know what they say…" A green frying pan slapped him off of his perch. "Out of the frying pan…" Gaster stumbled into the sea of fire. "Into the fire."

Dust collected, flying into the air above the fire. I expected my LOVE to increase, only for something horribly different to occur. A trembling form of Toriel collected through the dust. " **Answer me this Player. Do you remember your Genocide Run? Because they sure do!"** Gaster was floating above the fire, unscathed. More dust began collecting. All of my friends, minus Asriel, stood before me, wounds inflicted to them with only dust holding them together. " **Step five: Have you go to the Underground to SAVE. You overwrote Frisk's own SAVE File. When I take your soul, they will not be able to reset."**

"Wha-" One of Sans's Gaster Blasters narrowly missed. "Rude…" I mumbled. These weren't my friends. They were only illusions. The dusty Sans eyed me with suspicion. None of them spoke. Bones fired from the ground as I flipped in the air. With a slash, I took out both Sans and Papyrus. Toriel and Asgore both raised shaking hands, aiming fire attacks towards me. My own fire combatted the imitation, turning the two back to dust. Alphys and Undyne stood. The warrior tried to trap me, only to realize her error. My soul had turned orange, keeping me moving. With a slash, I dusted both of them.

He growled as his new weapons were destroyed without hesitation. " **You haven't changed a bit Player. You still strike anyone down without thought…"** He shut his eyes, preparing an attack. **"You made one fatal mistake... YOU MADE THEM LOVE YOU!"**

*Knowing that you can win this fight, it fills you with JUSTICE!

A yellow crosshair appeared around my eye as my soul flipped to yellow. Gaster fired millions of bones in my direction. The crosshair began glowing, yellow bullets flying towards the bones and eradicating them. "Don't hate the player, hate the game." I snarked back at him. He was not amused.

 _I sit here all day, hiding. Hiding from what this world wants me to be. When I'm around others, I make puns and force laughs, trying to act happy. It's just a mask I hide behind so people don't see my real side. This side of me. It's torture watching how others somehow be happy in this world while I wonder how happiness can even exist in a world of pain._

The "memory" didn't phase me. Gaster seemed confused. " **W-Why? Why isn't your hope dropping?"**

"You don't understand…" I grinned. "Player… we aren't the same person. Sure, I may have his personality, but I have a new soul. I have a new life. I don't feel that pain anymore… I moved on."

In rage, he used his last act. " **It's time…"** The fire from the void disappeared as we both fell to the ground. " **Step six…"** My shadow formed a red grin. " **Lower your hope to make you an easy target to kill… To make it less painful on us…"** The shadow began extending in front of me, catching me off guard. " **Let's bring that to zero, shall we?"**

A familiar form began collecting itself in front of me. A glowing red knife appeared in its hand. It was all too similar to… Chara. " _ **Howdy, "friend" didja miss me?"**_

9/0.9

" **If there is anything that hurts you more, it's being reminded of how you failed Chara. Step seven, eradicate the anomaly… You're next in line Player."**

I covered my face in fear. _Why did he have to use Chara…_ "Stop it…"

The laughing manifestation of my friend began giggling and slashing at my soul. Every slash…

6/0.8

My soul shattered only for a moment, refusing to die. Gaster simply chuckled at my failed attempt to catch him off guard with that trick. " **Face it player, I know that trick very well."** He wrapped me in a black tentacle, keeping my movements restricted. Lines of coding and a box joined in on the onslaught, blocking any means of escape.

1/0.5

"Please… stop." I begged.

*But it refused

1/0.3

Every time I died, I felt the pain. I felt my soul being ripped into two pieces before coming back together. And the whole time, Gaster just laughed.

"Please s-" My words were cut short as I felt the last of my hope drain.

0/0 HP

Song: [UNDERTALE] Goodbye to a World - Frisk and Asriel ver. by carimelle

The shadow of my friend giggled before evaporating away. Gaster chuckled, walking towards my form. My eyes struggled to stay open. Blood dripped to the floor from the multiple slashes that Chara had inflicted. My soul parted from my body. I expected it to finally shatter.

" **It was nice meeting you Player… Goodbye."** Gaster stretched his arm to my floating soul. I gasped when I realized what he was doing. Just like that… both him and my soul were gone.

Blood dripped from my mouth as I laid there, trying to stay awake. A sad laugh escaped from my lips. This was it. This was how I died. Just like that… I had lost the life I had been given.

How would they move on? What would Gaster do to them? Suddenly, a whirr of a machine sounded through the void. I tried to tilt my head to see what the source was. It was Sans.

"Oh my god." He ran over to me as fast as he could. Tears escaped from his eye sockets as he tried to reach the mess that I was. The skeleton tried to lift me up and escort me to the DT Extractor. "Kid, can you hear me?" I could only manage a small smile. "I'm gonna get you out of this void. Just don't fall asleep, please." I had never seen Sans lose composure like this…

With a grunt, he lifted me into the extractor. Hoping in as well, he flipped an internal switch. With another whirr, we reappeared in his basement. He glanced to my face, trying to look for any sign of motion. Seeing my eyes slightly flutter open, he continued to pull me out. "C'mon, we need to get you to Alphys."

"N….no…." I mumbled. "A-As….riel…"

"No, Alphys." He said sternly. I was losing so much blood. My face grew more and more pale by the second.

"P...pl...ease…" I begged, trying so hard not to give in. "Sa….ns… I w...ant to s...ay good...bye."

His voice choked, "Kid… you aren't saying goodbye. You can make it we can-" Before he could finish, I had escaped from his grasp and began walking towards his front door. "Wait KID DON'T!"

Using every ounce of magic I had left, I snapped my fingers. Sans tried to grab on, but I was gone. I stumbled onto the front doorstep of my home… The memories from Gaster still played through my head. This wasn't my real home… But… it could've been…

Twisting the front doorknob, I stumbled through the door. I coughed blood into my hand. Standing was no longer an option now. Asriel had heard the door opening and rushed towards it. "Hey, who's h-" He began. My legs buckled under me as I tried to catch myself. There was no need, he had me… "B-Bennett what-" I smiled, realizing how this could be the last time with him. "MOM, FRISK! PLEASE, COME QUICK." He yelled, tears escaping his eyes.

Frisk came charging down the stairs. Toriel came around the corner. "Now, Asriel, you know what I said about yelling in the h-" Her gaze caught to the two of us. She felt as if she was reliving a memory. When she looked at Asriel holding my limp form, she remembered the same scene, except him holding Chara. Frisk was in shock, rushing to try and help the crying monster. Toriel had all three of us locked in one large embrace.

"Ha…. Ha…." One tear escaped as I smiled. "I don't want to let go."

Asriel cried his heart out, "P-Please don't let go. Please… you promised you'd never leave me PLEASE!" He screamed.

Frisk tried to LOAD a SAVE. Only to realize that it was still impossible. This was permanent. "N-No…" They muttered in fear. "I-I'm so sorry. Please… don't leave…"

Toriel checked my soul, seeing the horrific stats.

Player: LV 0, 0 ATK, 0 DEF, 0/0 HP

*Everyone's nightmares in its most vulnerable form…

With a final sob, she tightened her embrace around all of us. "M-My child…" She gave a tearful smile. "Y-You have done enough… It's time to rest… You can stop fighting..."

I didn't want them to slip away. Darkness was gathering in the corners of my eyes. I looked up, seeing someone smiling down on me. "C-Chara? T-Thank you for waiting for me…" My hand fell limp to the floor.

 **...**

 **When you look in the mirror... what do you see? Do you see yourself... or something someone wants you to see...?**


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33: Just a Memory...**

 _Monsters… when they die… a pile of dust is left in their memory. When a monster moves on, all it is is an unrecognizable pile of dust… The remains are spread among the things they love, so that their essence my live on in that thing._

 _A human… when they die… their body remains. It stays as a reminder of what you did. It reminds you how much you failed. It stays as a memory of who it once was… of everything it could have been…_

Asriel looked down at the motionless human that was his brother. _Unmoving… lifeless… gone…_ Just a figment of his imagination now. His soul churned, seeing the puddle of blood forming on the floor. The thick red began to coat his fur… but he didn't care.

He wouldn't let go of me… Nothing mattered to him anymore. He had lost two siblings. It was over… He thought he had failed me… If only he knew how much I still loved him. But now? Now I still had one final choice, Reset… or Quit.

Half of me wanted to press the Reset option… but another half urged me to just give up. I glanced between the two… trying to find out what to do. The gravity of pressing either would probably affect everyone. It was… selfish.

"Hey…" A voice from behind me spoke. Silently, I turned around.

I wasn't surprised with who I was talking to. "Hi Chara…" My eyes shut in disbelief. I really had died… There was no going back. "So… I guess… this is it?"

The dead human in front of me looked towards the void floor. "Heh… well, I wish I could say that…"

There was always a catch. "So… what's keeping me here?"

Chara glanced towards Reset. "Well… Gaster absorbed your soul. Right now… you can't use either of these options…"

My expression hardened. If I could, I would have gone into a rage. But, now didn't seem like it would do anything. It just felt like nothing mattered. "So… I'm stuck here… forever?"

"Essentially…" Chara sighed. "Unless someone can free your soul, you are stuck."

My eyes narrowed in despair. On the opposite side of the buttons, there was a screen. It seemed to be from Gaster's point of view. What was horrible was… he was watching where I had just died. He was _there._ I wanted to scream out to them, tell them I was there. But… nothing happened. In defeat, I gave up. "Should we watch how this unfolds?" I asked Chara.

They nodded. "I'll keep you company for now…" Although, the hatred towards Gaster could easily be heard in their voice. "I'll be here until you can move on too."

We both sat side by side in silence, watching everything unfold.

* * *

Silence… no one spoke. All that could be heard were the sobs of everyone in the room. No one knew what to do. It had all happened so fast… Yet… one thing was lingering in the back of everyone's minds. Did a soul even shatter?

Looking down at the lifeless corpse, it seemed like the answer was yes. There was no turning back… But… Asriel looked down at the body, contemplating why it had to be this way… Looking into my lifeless eyes, Asriel began breaking down again. "W-Why…? What did you do to deserve this?"

The large gash across my chest made them know that it was not a natural death. Even Asriel knew that my soul wouldn't have gone to zero. I had been murdered. "Why aren't you loading? I know you can…" He whimpered, burying his face in my chest. "I-I'll do better next time just please… come back…"

Toriel grew worried. "My c-child… there is nothing we can do…"

Emotions whirled around in the boy's head like a tornado. Sadness, fear, confusion, hopelessness… but worst of all… hatred. The burning hatred in his soul began growing. He had never been one to truly hate someone. Everyone could change… But… he didn't believe that anymore. His innocence had been truly shattered.

Without even asking for permission, he lifted my body from the floor. The stone cold expression on his face could scare even Frisk who had seen horrors beyond this. Asriel was _broken._ Seeing how Asriel had just acted, Toriel sprung up. "M-My child, w-where are you going?"

Asriel hesitated for just a moment. "I'm going to his room… Just… give me some time."

Frisk and Toriel exchanged confused glances. The human was the first to follow. Toriel, on the other hand, was about to be preoccupied by a certain skeleton… Sans burst through the door, his eye flared blue. The crazed panic on his face was enough for Toriel to realize what had happened. "W-Where is he?"

His pupils wandered to the remaining pool of blood on the floor. The endless void of his eye sockets took over. _It was then when he knew what had just taken place._ "Sans-" Toriel began, only to be interrupted.

"Why? Why why why why WHY?" He clutched his skull in disbelief. "I should've…" He trailed off. "Where is he?"

"A-Asriel has the… body." She choked out. "Sans he's…"

The skeleton's hand began clenching into a fist. "... T-This is all my fault…"

Toriel shut her eyes, trying to hold back tears. "Sans… please… tell me what happened…"

"I-I don't know…" He stuttered. "We were just walking through Waterfall and then… h-he was gone. I t-tried to trace his soul… and… I got nothing. T-That could've only meant he was in the void. W-When I found him…" He lost his composure. Tears began flowing freely. "I'm sorry… I-I'm so sorry…" He knew who had done this. With a snap on his fingers, he went to find the murderer.

Toriel stood gaping at where he once stood. "I-I have an awful feeling about all of this…"

* * *

The sun was just rising over the horizon. It was more beautiful in reality than watching from the void. There was at least one moment of peace before he'd have to finish his plan. One last moment before he'd bring about the destruction of humanity. Asgore had been too weak to do it… When would the monsters understand that they simply cannot co-exist with the humans?

Gaster raised a hand over his chest, feeling the pulsing soul. The soul of the player. Now that he had control over time itself, he couldn't be stopped. It was just… the sickening feeling of blood on his hands. He had murdered a child. But… that was one of many to come. Nonetheless, player was not innocent. But… the rest were.

His attention was caught by a flash of blue behind him. He immediately could sense who it was. Of course, Sans was here. "How could you dad?" He asked in betrayal. "How could you kill him?"

Gaster turned around, facing what his son had become, a shriveling wreck. Gaster was much taller than Sans now with the added soul. An inverted Delta Rune was engraved on his chest while blue and orange flames fumed from his eyes. " **Sans… I'm sorry… I did what I had to d-"**

"DON'T." Sans snapped back. "You didn't HAVE to kill him. We could've saved you. You just murdered a kid!"

Gaster frowned, his eyes drifting back to the rising sun. " **Sans… that thing was not innocent…"** Before the smaller skeleton could retort, he elaborated. " **Do you remember how timelines reset without warning? Do you remember how Frisk suddenly committed Genocide because they felt "betrayed? It was just the urge, the curiosity… but it wasn't them...""**

"That's no excuse t-"  
" **Sans, do you remember a third anomaly?"** Gaster asked, catching Sans by surprise. " **Our reports showed a massive anomaly in the space time continuum, timelines jumping left and right, stopping and starting, until suddenly… everything ends…"** He shut his eyes. " **Does the title "Player" ring a bell?"**

Sans's eye flared in response. "What are you getting at Gaster?"

" **Do you still not understand yet?"** Gaster spat, " **He** _ **was**_ **the player. I merely got rid of his existence. The timeline is free! Why aren't you grateful?"**

"Why am I not grateful?" Sans teeth gritted. "I do not CARE if that kid was the player. It was just a groundless theory anyways. You can't just use that as an excuse to kill someone."

Gaster fell silent. " **After all I have done for you…"** His eyes flared even farther. " **You still choose to defy me Sans?"** The menace in his voice became clear. Sans, however, was unfazed. " **Do you really wish to defy me again?"**

Sans shrugged, "Nah, I wouldn't win. Plus… I'm kinda just stalling for time right now so…"

" **Wait what?"** Gaster asked in confusion.

"Oh really bud? You thought I wasn't doing something?" Sans's expression darkened. "I know you plan to destroy humanity. I know your true intentions. So, as of now, the first city you were going to hit has been evacuated."

Gaster released a hollow laugh. " **Those humans wouldn't have listened to an assumption of a monster. Your stupidity still ceases to amaze me Sans."**

"Heh, have it your way." He gave a small wave, walking in the other direction. But, he stopped before teleporting. "But… I'd gotta warn ya. You saw how close Asriel was to Bennett… right?"

*You did Gaster… Don't even deny it…

" **Yes…?"**

"Heh, then you'll know what is coming to stab you in the back. See you in hell Gaster." With that, he was gone.

*Congrats, now even your son hates you…

" **Shut up player, I can just erase their memories later."** He retorted to the small voice in his head.

*Yeah… I wouldn't be too cocky… But have it your way.

" **And I will…"** Gaster mumbled. " **Now… let's begin, shall we?"**

* * *

Asriel carefully opened my old bedroom door. He was careful not to bang my body against anything. Sure, blood was dripping on the floor… but Asriel just wanted time alone. He wanted to talk to someone who couldn't hear. He wanted to apologize, hoping it would bring me back.

Kneeling down, he laid me carefully on my bed. The smell of blood was sickening. Hearing Frisk walking up the stairs, Asriel locked the door swiftly. He just needed some time… Tears still matted his fur as he sat down next to the bed. In vain, he hoped that the world would somehow reset. But, that was a fantasy now. Frisk would have already reset if they still could. Someone had killed me, and absorbed my soul. It was clear to him. Someone else had control over the timeline now…

"H-Hi Bennett…" He began, his voice shaking. Why couldn't the world just reset? "I-I'm so sorry… T-This is all my fault…" Tears flowed freely again. "E-Even though we had only met a little more than a week ago… I-I feel like I've known you forever… Y-You didn't deserve this…"

Asriel looked down at what was resting in his own hand. It was meant for me… but he never got the chance to give it to me. A small heart locket rested in Asriel's palm. The golden glint it gave off was so similar to Asriel's eye now. Hesitantly, he out the locket around my neck. And, with one more motion… he finally shut my eyes.

A knock on the door caught Asriel's attention. "Asriel? C-Can I come in?" Frisk asked in a hushed whisper. In response, Asriel further tucked his head in his arms. He didn't want to feel this pain anymore. Frisk sighed, "Asriel… please… can we talk?"

"Frisk… don't you have anything better to do?" He asked through muffled sobs. "He's gone Frisk… we can't change that anymore…"

"Please… I just want to make sure you're okay…" Frisk whimpered.

"If I'm okay?" Venom began dripping from his voice. "How would I be okay if I just was forced to keep a secret that probably was the reason he's dead. How would I be okay if I watched him die right there…" His voice trailed off, being replaced by louder sobs. "W-Why do I g-get to live… but he doesn't? F-Frisk… I don't w-want to feel anymore…"

The human on the other side of the door fell into silence. "W-We can still make it through this… J-Just please come ou-"

An alert began sounding from every phone in the house. The sound of a warning wa ringing in everyone's ears. That… only ever happened in the Underground if something was terribly wrong. Checking the phone, Asriel's face paled at the alert.

"Asriel…" Frisk called from the other side of the door. "Are you seeing the same message?" Before the human could even listen for a response, Asriel had flung out the door. He made his way into full sprint charging down the stairs. Toriel had seen it too, her palms igniting in rage. Frisk's normal pacifist face had turned into a scowl.

In bold words on their phones were, "Sightings of a monster with a human soul have been spotted. We urge you all to stay inside. This is NOT a drill." Everything clicked. Everyone now knew what was going on. When Toriel finally saw Asriel charging out the door, she followed him, not caring about the consequences. Frisk, instead of following the two, began dialing Undyne and Sans. This wasn't going to end well…

* * *

Sans was right… Somehow, the whole entire city had either gone into hiding, or was evacuated. This was… interesting.

*You do realize that Sans is always one step ahead of you… right?

" **Player… Sans may be smarter than he looks, but remember who created him."**

*Heh, you created me and yet I gave you a bad time

" **Correction… I merely made your soul to reside in this world. It's kind of depressing that the player… the anomaly that toyed with our lives died so easily…"**

*...

" **So you do remember now?"**

*Yes…

" **Good, now keep your mouth shut for what I'm about to do. You were no different."**

*They were lines of coding in my world. How was I to know that I was toying with actual lives…

" **Ignorance is bliss…"**

*Also, speaking of ignorance, behind you…

Gastr heeded the warning, whirling around. A car was pulling up. As soon as it came to a stop, Toriel and Asriel both stepped out. In all of the timelines, Gaster had never seen this look Toriel wore on her face. It was a mix of confusion and hatred.

The former queen had never thought she would see this man again. On second thought… she hadn't remembered he existed in the first place. "Gaster?"

The skeleton bowed. " **Greetings my queen. It is nice to finally meet you ag-"**

A fireball whizzed past Gaster's head, catching him completely off guard. Toriel's eyes were burning with rage. "So it was YOU!"

*You feel as if you are about to be FIREd from your job…

" **God dammit player…"** He muttered under his breath. " **Queen Toriel, please allow me to explain…"**

Pillars of orange fire began swirling around the city. She was pissed. Asriel would have attacked… but he was surprised at the sheer strength of his mother's magic. "You don't deserve to explain anything."

Gaster snapped his fingers, the fire dimming a considerable amount. Toriel's eyes widened, realizing her magic was just been… manipulated… " **Please… I do not wish to fight you. Just allow me to explain."** A grimace formed on his face when he was forced to dodge yet another glowing fireball.

This one was from Asriel. The child had his left hand engulfed with flames. "There isn't ANYTHING to explain!" His right eye began igniting with flames. "You killed him… You…"

" **As if you were no different Asriel…"** Gaster's face formed into a wicked grin. " **I still remember all of those times you killed everyone. You murdered them with no regret."** Asriel visibly winced.

"Yet…" A voice from behind Gaster spoke. "He couldn't feel anything…" Sans stood behind Gaster, his hands in his pockets. With a smug glance to the side, he continued. "You could feel when you killed him… Asriel… he actually wanted to amend for what he did. And you… you just want to follow that same dark path."

" **That doesn't change why I was forced to take action Sans."** He growled, orange and blue fire escaping his mouth. " **Player could feel… but he still murdered them with no regrets…"**

"You think he doesn't feel sorry for what he did Gaster?" Sans spat. "You aren't my dad anymore… You're just a murderer… And I'm the judge…"

" **Sans d-"**

Gaster blasters fired at Gaster, sending him flying into a nearby parked car. "If you want to destroy humanity, you'll have to get through us first. The humans did horrible things… but this isn't the answer Gaster."

" **You really wish to test your luck?"** Gaster asked in mild amusement. " **You do realize I will just load if you kill me, right?"**

"Heh… yeah… I've already been through that experience once…" Sans responded.

Asriel approached from behind Sans, readying orbs of fire. "You… we finally found a happy ending after so many resets… and you destroy it…" Shadows covered Asriel's eyes. "We can't let you do that."

Toriel was next, her face in a snarl. "I do not know what my child and Sans speak of, but I can only assume it is for the best if I never need to know… You murdered a child Gaster. I will not let you kill anyone else…"

" **You really think you have a chance?"** Gaster cocked his head to the side in amusement. " **Alright then… make this interesting.."** Before everyone could launch any attacks, Gaster raised a hand up. " **But before we begin, I must tell you… I will not kill you… But, that doesn't mean I can beat you within an inch of your LIFE!"**

A shockwave of red blasted across the street, knocking Asriel and Toriel backwards. Sans had just teleported out of the way. "Try me G." He glared.

 **Song: Karma (Sans Seraphim's Theme) by The Great Anansi**

DT Blasters swarmed above Gaster's head. A new, gold colored blaster had joined the group. The green blaster dropped backwards as if trying not to get hit. All of their maws opened up, minus the green one, revealing different abilities. Purple strings tried groping for Asriel. The monster simply snapped his fingers, disappearing to exactly behind Gaster.

He tried ramming his fist into Gaster's skull, only to be hit by a light blue blaster. His soul had not turned light blue. Instead, an outline had formed around him. He wasn't safe! _He couldn't move…_ Gaster grinned, beginning to charge a regular Gaster Blaster. The beam zoomed downward to try to strike Asriel, but was stopped by torrents of fire destroying it.

Asriel still couldn't move. Sans took notice and began firing bones towards the light blue DT Blaster. The bones all connected, making the magic on Asriel release. That was when the Green Blaster acted and began _healing_ the light blue one. It was support…

Yellow bullets from the yellow blaster began falling from the sky, raining on the unsuspecting monsters. Right before one made contact with Toriel, he caught all of them in blue magic, forcing them towards the yellow blaster. Once again, the green one started healing it too.

 _The green one needed to be taken out first…_ The dark blue blaster began spreading blue magic all over the streets. It had surrounded them, making sure that their souls would turn blue if they even tried to escape. That didn't matter to Sans. He could shift everyone's souls back to red. However, Gaster Blasters formed in a circle around the three monsters. The Orange DT Blaster struck Gaster, giving him extra speed, but in return, forcing him to move.

All of the Gaster Blasters fired at the group in the center. There was no time to react. When the beams of light cleared, it revealed Asgore standing and blocking the blasts.

 **-1000**

He fell to his knees, his hope dwindling into the single digits. "I will not let you touch them W.D. Gaster." He mumbled. Toriel immediately sprung to action and tried to heal him. It was two versus one now. Asriel leapt into the air, being caught by a shooting star. Sans teleported out from the circle of blue magic. Surprisingly, both of their souls were turned blue regardless, forcing them to the ground.

Gaster chuckled in amusement. Finally, the red DT Blaster fired lethal beams at the two. Asriel raised a hand, a spinning star blocking the blast. Sans countered with his own Gaster Blaster. He was caught by surprise when the beam went straight through his. Eye sockets widening, he teleported out of the way. He was cut short when the Gold DT Blaster struck him square on the chest.

He watched in a daze as his shadow began contorting. A shadowy version of Frisk began forming in front of his very eyes.

Gaster's focus shifted to Asriel. The boss monster was unfazed by Gaster who was approaching swiftly. Raising one hand, they both summoned sentinels. Beams collided with each other, sending flares of magic all over the city. It wasn't until this moment that Asriel realized his mistake. Giant hands came into view. Strings wrapped around Asriel's sentinels, giving Gaster a total of four.

Beams of orange and shockwaves of blue made their way across the battlefield. Sans, on the other hand, was dodging knife after knife against Frisk. "C'mon Sans, did you really think a happy ending would last?" They shrugged.

"Poor imitation…" Sans muttered, firing a Gaster Blaster straight into the shadow. The imitation of Frisk screamed in pain as the light pierced the darkness.

 **-60**

Asriel winced as he wasn't fast enough to time the pattern of the sentinels. He didn't have as much hope as Asgore, but it was considerable. 200 Hope wouldn't help if Gaster hit that hard. Gaster flung forward, trying to grab Asriel. He was stopped when a multitude of bones sprung from the pavement.

These bones were not from Sans. Looking around, Gaster's eyes caught sight of Papyrus. One of his eyes was glowing orange. "FATHER… PLEASE… WE DO NOT NEED TO FIGHT."

Gaster winced, seeing that his son still believed in him. He was the only one who still did… " **I'm sorry Papyrus… but I will not let humanity hurt you…"**

"THEN… THEN YOU WILL HAVE TO KILL ME FIRST…" He spoke in a booming voice. "SANS TOLD ME TO STAY HOME, THAT EVERYTHING WAS FINE… I'M NOT AS NAIVE AS HE BELIEVES." Gaster's eyes widened at Papyrus's new attitude. "I AM TIRED OF EVERYONE LYING TO ME… SO PLEASE… TELL ME… DO YOU THINK IT IS WORTH KILLING EVERY HUMAN OUT THERE… JUST FOR OUR RACE?"

" **Yes…"** Gaster mumbled.

"THEN… I CANNOT HELP YOU…" Orange streaks of light began flying towards Gaster. He raised a bone shield to block the oncoming attack, surprised at Papyrus's strength. He had studied his fill of Disbelief Papyrus timelines… but this was getting ridiculous.

*Despite everything… he still believes you can change…

Gaster used his extra speed to gain ground on Papyrus. He weaved in and out of bones jutting from the ground. He'd never kill his son, only slightly daze him… Gaster tried to bring a flurry of bones upon Papyrus, seeing that he hadn't gained any ground. The orange magic's effect disappeared, allowing him to become stationary. Bones flew towards Papyrus, the skeleton beginning to raise a shield.

However, a slash of light cut in between the attack. In an instant, it seemed like reality had completely shattered. A gap in space time had formed its way, blocking the bone's path. It quickly resealed, revealing a very pumped Red. "Wow… I haven't done that in ages!" The canine cheered.

Her cheer was short lived when her soul was placed into a white box. Gaster expected her to be surprised, but was amazed when she _cut that box in half._ " **What… how did you…?"**

A chakram flew past his head. Red stood there smugly, blocking the way to Asriel and Papyrus. "Maaagic." She retorted with jazz hands. Gaster's eyes widened as she summoned _more_ sentinels.

" **Wha… how did you get a hold of that magic?"** He yelled in disbelief.

Red smirked. "DUH! Isn't it obvious? You kinda gloated that you made a new weapon for the Royal Family to use… so I stole it obviously…" She balanced her sword on a finger. "But eh… you were too busy torturing your sons to realize…"

In rage, Gaster began summoning his own obtained four sentinels. Red was unfazed, knowing exactly how they worked. Shadows covered her eyes as in one swift motion, she sent bombs hurdling towards the sentinels. Purple balls of energy fired from her own, ensuring the demobilization of Gaster's weapons.

Noticing that Sans had just defeated his shadow Frisk, Gaster fired the Golden DT Blaster to buy more time. Its target was Toriel and Asgore. From their shadows, formed six children, all looking at them in pain. The two readied fire, ready to strike down these demonic imitations of those fallen children.

Gaster faced Red, who was now just randomly slicing thin air… He looked at her in confusion for a good bit before realizing that space-time was ripping. The slashed she had made shattered reality around Gaster. With speed, he snapped his fingers, teleporting away from the carnage.

He smirked at Red's attempt. It was quickly replaced by surprise when spears began firing from the ground. When he looked to the attacker, he saw Undyne on top of a building. She was clad in armor, her hair flowing freely. He had to admit, it looked epic. "YOU!" She yelled from her perch. "I didn't want to think it was true. I didn't want to think that punk had fallen so easily…" She choked on those words. "But… it was… Someone like you doesn't deserve to live. Someone like YOU is the reason us heroes fight…"

Spears began raining from the sky. Gaster raised his hand, calling upon the power of my soul. I couldn't resist. He had full control over my strength. A massive green pan blocked every single spear. Undyne grit her teeth in annoyance. Gaster simply smirked, that was until he was pelted in the back by some sort of laser.

 **-10**

"Hah! First hit beauties!~" A robotic voice from above taunted. "Isn't that just fabulous?" Mettaton was hovering above him, his NEO form in full activation.

" **Why are YOU even fighting me?"**

"Well darling…" Mettaton summoned a flame thrower from his fist. "You seem to want to destroy humanity… I cannot let you murder all of my fans now can I?" Fire engulfed the scientist. However, when he emerged, he was unscathed.

 **-0**

" **ENOUGH!"** He screeched. All of his magic in the area faded away. Every monster eyed him in confusion. " **I am done messing around. I am doing what is good for the monster race… don't you see?"** His teeth grit together. " **Now OBEY ME!"** He pushed my soul to its limits. Using nearly all of my magic, he summoned a large screen in front of him. With one snap of his fingers, every monster in the area fell to their knees. " **Ah player… using your power of exploiting our world… you made this too easy…"**

*I wouldn't be too sure…

" **And what makes you say that?"** He sneered, only to realize what I was talking about.

Asriel was still awake. He pushed himself to his feet, dust slowly flying off of his body. "N-No…. I w-won't l-let you…" He muttered, trying to regain his footing.

" **Give it up prince Asriel. This battle was decided long ago…"**

"I-I won't g-give up…" He muttered. More dust was flaking from him. Gaster realized the gravity of the attack he had just launched. Since Asriel had been in control of the timeline once… that had done more damage than he intended. "S-Somehow… just like that… I-I failed?" He asked himself…

*We won't let you win Gaster…

"No… I-I won't die here. N-Not yet…" He clutched at his trembling soul. Gaster gasped in surprise as my soul detached from his body.

" **W-What, how did you…?"** He asked, wondering how my soul had resisted his control. Then… he saw it. Frisk stood in the center of all the fallen monsters. A large button was floating before their determined face. SAVE. " **You idiot-"**

A flash of white light blinded the three. When it cleared, Asriel stood there… his soul beginning to turn around. The white of his soul began taking on a solid gold color. He grasped his skull as his fangs grew longer. His body began contorting, changing size. Horns sprouted from his head as black scars riddled his face. A white and gold robe clothed him as the transformation was over. Dust had ceased.

Frisk smiled, seeing another presence in the area.

*A lost soul has appeared!

"Howdy… Bennett… Are you there?" Asriel asked the lost soul. It stared right through him. "It's me… your best friend…" Asriel leapt into the air, preparing for oncoming attacks. "ASRIEL DREEMURR!"

The lost soul sprouted fiery, black wings from its back. It chased in pursuit after Asriel who was floating in the air. Gaster and Frisk watched from the ground in astonishment. The skeleton's gaze shifted back to Frisk who still had their hand on the SAVE button. He launched an attack on them. Frisk parried with a worn dagger. They would not fail Asriel.

In the sky, the lost soul clashed against Asriel's Chaos Sabre. Asriel slashed with both of his swords, stars purposely missing the lost soul. He wouldn't hurt it… Because… it was still me. The lost soul spoke, "Why even believe things will change?"

Fallen Sentinels appeared in the air, sending blasts of black fire towards Asriel. He responded with two shooting stars crashing into the machinery. "Because… there is always hope…" He responded. "Remember when you always thought things could change? You defied death to save me…"

*You remind the lost soul of who it was before…

*It is unfazed.

"Why force them to love you… you are just a burden…" It spoke, head lowered. The lost soul flung black knives towards Asriel. He countered with a dodge.

"That was a KNIFE one…" He winked, internally screaming when he made that pun.

*You make a pun…

*For some reason… the lost soul wants to shoot one back…

"Just run away… they'll never forgive you…" The lost soul visibly trembled. It didn't attack this time, seemingly thinking.

Using this time wisely, Asriel flew forward to the lost soul. "I forgive you… We all do…" He embraced the lost soul, holding it close.

*You comfort the lost soul…

*Suddenly… memories are flooding back!

"A-Asriel?" I asked, looking up at him for once.

He began shaking and crying. "H-Hi Bennett…"

My eyes began wavering. "Y-You've already grown up a bit… but you'll always be my baby brother…!"

Asriel didn't care about the insult towards his normal size. Instead, he tightened his embrace around me. "W-We will save you. We won't give up…"

I shut my eyes, feeling my consciousness slipping away. "Heh… it's fine Azzy… I love you…" (Not in that way you weirdos.)

Shutting his eyes, he felt me slipping away. "I love you too…"

Asriel clenched his eyes shut, trying to fight back tears. Gaster stood before him, my soul hadn't returned to his body. " **W-What… what did you do?"** He asked in fear. Asriel held my soul in one palm, the red and gold shining brightly.

With a smile, both Frisk and Asriel faced Gaster. "We SAVED him." They exclaimed.

Without a soul, Gaster began fading. " **W-What? How did you… you shouldn't have been able to do this!"**

"Bye Gaster…" Asriel whispered. He summoned Hyper Goner, the large skull appearing in the sky. The gateway to the void opened up in the center of its maw. It began sucking Gaster in, the void freely taking him. "And never come back…" _And with that… Gaster was gone…_

All of the previously stunned monsters began to regain their conscience. They mumbled to each other in confusion, before seeing Asriel reverting back to his normal size. His soul turned white again, placing itself upside down.

From the Hyper Goner attack, the six souls that were trapped in the void began to emerge. They took my soul from Asriel's hands. He began panicking, "W-Wait what are you doing with that?" He reached out for my soul, only for it to swerve out of the way. All of the souls began hovering far from the monster's reach.

It started with the light blue soul shattering. Everyone screamed in surprise. A small girl with a toy knife and a ribbon floated where it once stood. "Even through your hardest times, you showed patience…" She faded away.

Next was the orange soul. Fear gripped everyone's souls as they realized what was going on. All of the souls were moving on… A teenage boy with a bandana and gloves came into view. "Even when things were terrifying and darkness laid before you, you showed bravery…"

The dark blue soul shattered next. Asriel felt tears coming from his eyes. A girl with a tutu and ballet slippers winked. "No matter what the obstacle ahead, you showed integrity…"

The purple soul shattered, leaving a girl with glasses and a notebook. "Even when the world threw its worst at you, you showed perseverance."

The green soul shattered, leaving a boy with an apron and frying pan. "Even when someone hurt you… you strived to show kindness…"

The yellow soul shattered, leaving a grown man with a cowboy hat and empty gun. "When you faced an enemy, you always showed justice… whether by fighting or mercy." With a tip of his hat, he disappeared like the rest.

Everyone's eyes rested on my soul. It was shaking violently in the air. Everyone reached out, trying to call to my soul. "Please… we are still here… Can you hear us?"

…

With a sickening crack, the soul shattered into millions of pieces, red and gold dust flying through the air. Asriel fell to his knees, disbelief written on his face. "N-No… please…" He wished he could reset. He wished it could all just end… "We did everything…"

"Asriel…" I spoke to my brother before me. He looked up, hoping to see me in flesh. I was just like the other souls. I was just a short apparition. However, one thing was different. Chara was standing next to me. His eyes widened, seeing the two of us. We spoke together. "No matter what trials lay before you… no matter how hard things get… no matter how impossible the challenge… You stay determined…"

We slowly faded into nothing, leaving everyone in silence…

* * *

Asriel opened the door to my bedroom, ready to finally say goodbye.

…

The body was gone, only a jacket left behind...

 **"Somedays I ask myself, how can I rip out the reader's heart and crush it to small pieces?"**

 **Reviews are encouraged...**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15... Actually, no... Let's change that**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 cries in a corner!**


	34. Chapter 34

**Chapter 34: Broken Souls...**

 _1 month later…_

"Heya… is anyone there? Well, I'll just leave a message."

"So, it's been awhile. Gaster hasn't thought about returning, and monsters have started to be less treated as enemies… but more as friends."

"I'm not sure how long it'll last, but I hope we can hold out like this for a bit… All of the souls that were collected by Asgore, along with… his… seemed to disappear. So, uh, the humans took it as we set them free?"

"Even though some of us are heartbroken over… his death, we still move on, like he'd want us to. Everyone is trying to still hope… Although… the prince isn't taking it to well..."

"SANS! WHO ARE YOU TALKING TO?"

"Oh, nobody."

"WHAT!? NOBODY!? CAN I TALK TO THEM TOO?"

"Here, knock yourself out."

"WAIT A SECOND… Oh… I recognize this number… Sans? He's… gone. You are really talking to nobody…"

"Heh, I could have sworn I heard something…"

"Sans please… I know you've taken it hard on yourself for what happened, but you can't keep b-"

"What are you two punks up to! Oh… erm, Sans… why did you call this number?"

"I figured I'd leave a message."

"Um… I guess… we will leave you to it then?"

"Yeah… just give me a moment…"

"..."

"I don't know who you are, and I don't know what you did with that body. But when I find you, bad does not even begin to describe the time you will be having. Capiche? Burn in hell."

 _Click…_

The phone lowered from the figure's ear. They looked at the sunset, taking in the words that were just spoken to them. With a sigh, they prepared for the upcoming day.

* * *

Controversy about the events of the previous month had been at an all time high. Security cameras had caught footage of the whole battle… Originally, the humans were going to declare war on monsterkind for killing the six children.

But… then they saw the footage of the fight. The humans went back on what they were planning and reconsidered. The damage to the surrounding area of the fight would be paid for by the monsters… Asgore had fully agreed to those terms.

However, complaints about the six deaths of the children, following a seventh were brought up. Rewatching the footage, they saw as the six souls were somehow freed… Monster sympathizers had vouched for them, taking the Monster's side. The humans were now free… Although the six deaths wouldn't simply go unpunished, they were fine for now.

Everyone who took place in that fight was to be brought in today. Even a month after, everyone was still asking questions. So now, everyone was going to get the firsthand story that they wanted. Everyone wanted to know the _truth._ So… this is how everything came to be. This is how Asriel had ended up on a hellish eight hour drive to Washington D.C. for a whole speech.

The boss monster shrunk into the jacket he was wearing. It was the same jacket Bennett had left behind a month ago. Asriel kept it was a memory… It reminded him of who brought him back.

When Asriel had found that the body was missing, he was confused. He thought someone could have stolen it, but that seemed unlikely. What happened to it still plagued his mind every day. The disappearance was still… unexplained. And when something is unexplained, the humans take advantage and made groundless assumptions. Although… despite everything, the monsters still held a funeral. It was… hard. Asriel tried his best to contain his emotions. But, he was always a cry baby as he would say.

Multiple monsters offered condolences. Many actually attended the funeral, due to his name being pretty popular out there. After all, he was the one who actually brought Asriel back. The monster himself was… not too social now. Ever since Bennett moved on… Asriel had changed his attitude completely. Instead of being the happy monster he used to be, now he was just a shriveling wreck.

He never talked to anyone anymore. Well, save a few times. He was relatively quiet, never wanting to come out of the house. His personality had completely switched. As he looked out the window, he watched as various buildings pass by. His eyes were diverted from everyone else in the car. By everyone else, he meant Asgore, Toriel, Red and Frisk. Red was riding with them due to the River Person being occupied. Surprisingly enough, Toriel let Asgore come with her.

Well, Asgore had protected all of them, throwing his life on the line. He was so close to death in the battle against Gaster. But now… Toriel had given him more forgiveness. The souls were finally put to rest. Now, she had a speech to focus on.

Asriel wasn't expected to give a speech in front of everyone. Everyone knew he wouldn't talk. Not even Frisk was getting to him anymore. Toriel had resorted to sending him to therapy where they had failed as well. Well, for the moment at least… Asriel was in between therapists, trying to find one that would get through the wall he put up.

Asriel wasn't the only one worried about today. The whole fight was emotional for everyone. Not to mention how touchy of a subject it was. No one wanted to remember this. And when the final soul shattered… Asriel shattered with it. He was so _broken._

The car began coming to a stop. They were here. "My children, Red, we are here."

The canine groaned, "Finally! This car is cramped!"

Frisk giggled, "Is that why you had your head sticking out the window the whole time?"

Red was not amused, "Hey! That's a dog thing! Don't judge me." She crossed her arms with a huff.

On the other side of things, Asriel was being helped out of the car by Toriel. The mother looked into the once vibrant eyes of her son. Ever since a month ago, they had dulled considerably, never having that same feeling of hope. "Asriel…" He only lowered his head further, as if trying to escape. "Please… we all miss him. Please just talk to me…"

Hugging himself, Asriel brushed past Toriel. She let out a sigh. "What will I do…?"

* * *

God, winter this year sucked. Standing out in the cold while his parents gave a speech was not fun for Asriel. Of course, he couldn't be complaining. He had a ton of body fur when Frisk didn't. Although… it was more of the cold attitude emanating from the area. About… one hundred humans were listening to the speech? Most of which… didn't support monsters.

Sure, things had improved, but there were still many hostile humans. Some people didn't believe the monsters had actually freed the souls… Not to mention, everyone was still furious about a monster actually absorbing a human soul. That was what made Asriel's non existent blood boil. The humans had taken notice about _who_ exactly had died… but most of them didn't bat an eye.

He understood that one death to most wouldn't matter. But, it hurt. Someday, everyone was going to forget about him. Asriel didn't want Bennett to be a bad memory. Then… there was Frisk. Ever since the battle, Asriel had begged Frisk to reset. Yet, they never once agreed. Slowly, Asriel became more distant from his human sibling.

Frisk, on the other hand, wanted to tell him exactly why they couldn't reset. It was for one exact reason. They simply _couldn't._ It wasn't like they hadn't tried. After the fight, Frisk contemplated whether resetting would be the right thing to do. Gaster would have more knowledge on the battle and would be prepared. But… the main reason was because Frisk wanted Bennett to just move on.

Resurrecting someone from death was a painful experience for the one being brought back. You are basically rewinding the pain. All of their memories are forgotten, except for the one lingering feeling of absolute peace. Frisk had experienced death many times. Actually being dead… it felt so peaceful, as if there wasn't a care in the world. But, as soon as they would load, the pain of their last death would strike them again. It wasn't worth it…

Even if they did want to, the reset button wasn't working. For some reason, their determination was outmatched by _something._ There was something out there _stronger_ than Frisk's determination. They didn't tell Asriel, because they didn't want him getting his hopes up. The only other person who was known to have higher determination than Frisk was dead. If Asriel knew… well… Frisk didn't want him to hope for something that couldn't happen.

Just to make sure, Frisk asked Sans to see if he could trace his soul. Of course, Sans got nothing. Bennett really _was_ dead. Maybe the ability to reset went with him. Speaking of Sans… he was probably taking this just as horribly as Asriel.

After explaining everything to Toriel, things for Sans went downhill. As you can probably imagine, as soon as Toriel learned Sans took a part in Gaster's plan, she was _livid._ Sans had been secluded from everyone ever since… The skeleton was demoted to Asgore level. Whenever he was present around Toriel, the tension in the room could be cut like a knife.

Surprisingly, Asriel turned to Sans for help. He would open up to Sans more than anyone. Asriel went to Sans everyday now. He secretly hoped there would be some way to bring Bennett back. Both of them did… But, they had come across nothing. The lines of coding they had been able to stumble across were illegible and corrupted. They had hit a dead end… Although, since the dead end, Sans was teaching Asriel how to use his magic. Neither of them were happy anymore. Sans never made puns and Asriel nearly never smiled. Two broken monsters looking out for each other.

Undyne and Papyrus had dedicated themselves to looking after Sans. With one HP, he could easily just lose that and turn to dust. But, after it was revealed that Gaster had been dropping Bennett's hope faster than normal, they weren't as worried. It was just that Sans wasn't caring about anything anymore.

Undyne had reinstated the Royal Guard. Another attack like that could result in chaos. She thought some would be reluctant to rejoin, but they picked up their weapons and got to work. A monster absorbing a human soul could very well happen again. Murder was fairly common with the humans… If a monster ended up snapping… well, that'd be horrible. Although, monster souls generally did not influence violence anymore.

Red was one of the first to re-join the Royal Guard. As soon as Undyne learned the canine could create small gaps in reality, she became a top tier fighter. Despite not knowing Bennett very well, Red always went to check in on everyone.

Papyrus had still retained some innocence, but he had become more serious. Whenever he tried to act goofy whatsoever, it lingered in the air and made everything awkward. He just… didn't want to make anyone feel uncomfortable.

Asgore had many regrets. He and Bennett never actually solved their dispute. It was just a void of regrets now. Nothing could change it anymore. As for Toriel, she… hadn't taken it well at all. After the soul shattered, no one could contain the wrath of the mother. Then, when she learned about Sans's involvement… Sans was lucky to get out of that house alive. Toriel had let a another child die.

Alphys had been checking on the state of Asriel's soul more than anything. His hope had dropped from two hundred to fifty. He wouldn't die, but it would take a huge toll on the boss monster. Not to mention, Alphys was frantic to study about how Asriel's soul had turned to a fused human and monster soul during the battle. It had completely changed its status when Frisk pressed the SAVE button. Somehow, it was able to form the monster back into his "Hyperdeath" form. Alphys hadn't gotten too much on how it worked. Not to mention, Asriel couldn't pull it off anymore.

As Asgore finally stepped down from the podium, humans began dispatching. The whole thing had been rather boring. Nothing of interest had happened… It was more painful than important. They had been to so many similar _interviews,_ it was the same thing every time. Asriel was the only one who hated these with a passion. You can easily guess why.

He cast a glance to Sans who was sitting off to the sidelines. Slowly detaching from Toriel, Asriel made his way over to Sans. The mother eyed them both with a hint of warning. The younger boss monster didn't care, continuing to approach Sans. "Hey… wassup kiddo?" He asked, his voice hoarse.

Asriel didn't speak, only looking up at Sans if asking something. The skeleton arched an eye socket. "Kid… I'd love to take you to Grillby's… But, Tori would kill me."

"Don't care…" Asriel mumbled. His voice was so weak compared to the happiness it used to give off.

Sans sighed, wanting to help out Asriel. "Alright…" He motioned towards a tree. "I know a shortcut." He extended a skeletal hand to the goat monster.

Asriel carefully took it, still looking at the ground. Before he knew it, he was at a bustling Grillby's. The bartender himself had his flames dimmed at the sight of the two. After they both sat down, Grillby went back to his normal routine.

With curiosity, Sans turned his skull to Asriel who now had his head propped on the bar. He was a wreck. "Heya kiddo… you wanted to talk?"

With a sigh, Asriel covered his eyes in his arms. "S-Sans… I c-can't do this anymore… I-It hurts…"

"I know kid…" He shut his eye sockets. "I'm sorry… It's my fault all of this happened…" His hands clenched on the bar table. "If I could reset… I would…"

"And Frisk won't…" He began crying. "S-Sans… I-I didn't want to t-think Frisk w-was trying to b-be selfish… b-but I'm s-staring to think t-they just want t-their own happy e-ending…"

"Heh… you're not the only one kiddo." They both sat in silence, reminiscing the moment. "Well… I have to get back to the lab kid. Catch ya later?"

Asriel nodded, returning to his silent state. With a snap, Sans took a shortcut to his old lab. As soon as the lab came into his view, he knew something was off. But, he just couldn't quite figure out what that thing was…

His pupils scanned the lab, trying to figure out what it was he had forgotten about. Suddenly, he remembered what it was. Ironically, it was his photo that showed him, Gaster, and Papyrus standing happily. The same one that read "don't forget." The question was… where the hell had it gone?

* * *

"Alright, so what number is this?"

"This is the second one… you already lost count?"

"Give me some more credit, I don't remember things very well."

"Hmph… anyways, where to next?"

"Well, according to our notes, the next one should be…"

"...What's wrong?"

"Remember that jacket? Y'know, the one that the human wore before he died?"

"Yeah? Why? Is that where it is?"

"Yes… but guess who guards it like it's no one's business…"

"Asriel…"

"...You ready?"

"Yeah… let's go."

 **Don't you just LOVE it when I'm mysterious?**

 **Reviews are encouraged**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Scrambles to get some freaking fries!**


	35. Chapter 35

**Chapter 35: School Woes...**

"Alright, so here is the plan."

"Okay, I'm all _ears."_

"..."

"What? I'm running out of material."

"As I was saying… you'll handle Asriel, I'll get the ones in the Underground."

"...Fine."

"C'mon, he shouldn't be too hard to handle."

"I hope so… He hasn't been too well ever since… y'know…"

"Just keep a straight head and you'll be fine."

"Fine… I'll meet you in New Home tonight."

* * *

Walking to school in this cold weather was horrible. With his green backpack, Asriel was making his way to the school ahead of him. Frisk had lingered back for a moment, talking to Sans about something. The skeleton himself wasn't too excited about that… As for Asriel, it allowed him to walk alone, wandering in thought.

School was always a living hell. It took him awhile to actually be enrolled, but a week ago he had been accepted. Toriel was a teacher, making the day a small bit better. Then… there were the bad teachers. Of course, some of them were racist against monsters. But some were just really rude, period. One had a son named Justin who was the absolute worst.

It had taken every ounce of Asriel's sanity not to claw into that kid. He was racist, cruel, and downright stupid. However, he acted as if he knew everything. Actually, no one liked him at all aside from a select few. He was extremely disliked.

Although, Asriel couldn't be one to be talking. His friend status wasn't good at all. He was just didn't want to talk to anyone. Frisk still looked out for him, trying to find out what was wrong. As if they didn't know! Why couldn't they just undo everything… Leo, the armless monster, would hang around with them too. Some people ended up eventually talking about him, "The prince of all monsters this quiet?"

"I heard someone close to him died…"

"So what? Why doesn't he just get over it?"

"I heard that he isn't fit to be a king at all."

"What? This is what boss monsters are supposed to be? **Really pathetic."**

The words rung out in his head. He, himself, knew for a fact he'd never amount to being a king. He was too stupid. They were right, he really was pathetic. He let two of his sibling die, one of which died twice. It was all because he was too stupid and naive to tell his parents the truth. Why had he let them both die?

Readjusting his backpack's straps. He walked through the main doors of the school. The hustle and bustle of children conversing and chatting drowned out all other sounds. He could already tell this was going to be a long day.

* * *

"I'll say this one more time…" A cloaked figure raised a furry, gold paw. "Let that monster go, or I will have to rip it from your dead hands."

Three men, all wearing black and gloves, were holding a defenseless monster hostage. The figure wasn't supposed to get sidetracked from their mission, but they couldn't let a child get dragged off. Said monster was now at gunpoint. "And why should we listen to ya?" One of the thugs sneered. "You monsters have been nothin but trouble. We are only doin humanity a favor."

"Is that a no?" The voice behind the cloak asked, venom dripping from their voice. "Alright then… don't blink." In an instant, the humans were surprised to see that the gun was no longer in their possession. The figure was now holding it, studying the weapon. "I told you not to blink."

"Get him boys!" One of the thugs yelled. The other two nodded, advancing on the cloaked entity.

"Too predictable…" The figure muttered. The leader of the humans rubbed his eyes at what he was seeing. Both humans had dropped onto the ground within the blink of an eye, literally. They were obviously still alive, but it seemed as if they had been punched. Whoever this guy was, they were really powerful to do that in the blink of an eye. "Now… you wanna join your friends? Or can you let the kid go?"

The human was honestly scared out of his wits. He should have give up. But of course he didn't. Reaching for a pistol in his belt, he raised it quickly, right to the thing in the hood, and fired the bullet. Blinking, he realized a shooting pain in his foot. "Lame…" The hooded figure taunted. "I mean… at least learn how to aim buddy."

"W-What? H-How did you-...?" He was so confused. He had fired directly at this hooded monster.

"It's called you suck buddy." The monster retorted. However, they never lowered that hood. "Anyways, I'll be getting this kid home. Tell your friends I said hi."

Turning to the now cowering child, the hooded monster took their hand. "C'mon little buddy, I'll get you home." They never meant to get this sidetracked… Oh well, he'd make it by the end of the day at least…

* * *

"Alright… if my calculations are correct…" The second of the two partners murmured to themselves. "One of them should be right around… here!" A pale hand grazed on an elevator button, sending them upward. Unlike their previous partner, this one was human.

As the doors slid open, the human saw their target. It was a grey, short monster. With wide open eyes, the monster continued staring off into the endless Hotlands. With a wave, the figure tried to catch the Monster's attention. Getting no results, they sighed, preparing the code word. In various hands and symbols, the figure began saying the codeword.

The response was immediate. "Ah… so you are the one Gaster told me of? Yes?" It asked, clasping its hands together."

"No need for formalities." The voice of the human came through the hood. "I'm here for what you were supposed to give me…"

"Ah yes that!" He piped. Reaching into a coat pocket, he drawed out a glowing white shard. "I suppose this is what you were sent to retrieve?" He asked, arching a brow.

"Yep." The human placed the white shard in a shimmering bag. "That'll do, thanks whoever you are!" They said with a jittery wave. They were never one for long conversations.

Before they could walk away, the Gaster follower stopped them. "Wait!" The hooded figure stopped dead in their tracks. "I must warn you… Succeeding this plan will result in something catastrophic. Are you sure you want to continue with this?"

The human hesitated, eyeing the bag with thought. "We can handle it. See ya." On the inside, the human was contemplating what the monster just said. Although, that thought changed, remembering who was watching their every movement. "It's not like we have a choice…"

* * *

Tap

Tap

Tap

Ah the school bell, always being so slow to ring. The last five minutes of the day were always the slowest. Asriel's finger kept hitting against the desk in major boredom. Math class was always last in the day… Not to mention, it had one of the absolute WORST teachers.

The one monstrosity that was the math teacher… The one teacher no one, and when the phrase "no one" was used, it was LITERALLY meant. The math teacher whose name was Linda was the absolute worst. First of all, she was racist against monsters. Second, she wasn't even good at teaching. Everyone would just have to teach themselves…

Finally, the relief washed over him as the bell began ringing. Although, as good as it was being able to get out of the school, he wondered… what was waiting for him back home? It just felt pointless to him. Nothing mattered at all. Sometimes, he wanted to be Flowey again. The pain that having a soul brought was so much…

Opening his locker, he rummaged for what he was searching for. When his locker was slammed shut by someone else, he knew exactly who was there. Following the arm to its owner, Asriel saw Justin standing there with a smirk on his face. "What's up twerp?"

Sighing, Asriel turned away, beginning to walk in another direction. He was too slow, the boy behind him slamming him into a locker. "I never gave you permission to go anywhere." He said with a glare.

Asriel was expressionless, not being affected by his antics. "Are you going to answer?" Justin was getting annoyed, tightening his grip. "ANSWER ME!" He yelled, landing a punch to Asriel's cheek.

 **-1**

People began circling around, watching what was occurring. None of them made a move to do anything. The fear in Asriel's eyes was evident now. "Are you gonna fight back?" Justin asked, cracking his knuckles. There was no response. If only Justin knew what was in store for him in a few moments. He landed a fist on Asriel's snout, making the monster yelp in pain.

Asriel slumped over, back to the locker. Everyone around them was murmuring at the sight. Where was Frisk when you needed them? It wasn't until after a moment when Justin noticed how to get into Asriel's head. After all, he was doing this for pure amusement. Snatching the front of the jacket Asriel wore, he yanked it off of the struggling monster. "Aw, what's this?"

"Give… that… back…" Asriel growled, a gold light swirling in his right eye.

"Or what?" Justin tilted his head, slinging the jacket over his shoulder. "What're you gonna do to me?" Asriel began standing up, hands clenching into fists. Justin was the first to strike, sending another fist towards Asriel's face. Everyone screamed at what they saw next.

A hooded figure stood in between the two, seemingly appearing from thin air. A paw blocked Justin's hit, sending him into shock. The hooded monster gave him a knee to the stomach before sending an uppercut to his chest. He lurched backwards, holding up a defensive hand. Multiple students began filming the event.

Justin tried to strike with a kick to the monster's side. He was too predictable. Red lightning shot from the figure's paw, flinging him to the wall. Asriel watched this all in pure fear. Somehow, he hoped that his brother had come back, that this hell would end. The human that was now pinned on the wall let out a struggling yell, trying to escape the magic holding him in place.

"You and I are going to have a little talk…" The figure lowered his hood just enough to show only his face to Justin. What the boy saw would haunt him for years to come. " **Do it again and I will end you."**

With a swipe, the monster's paw snatched the jacket. He had obtained what he needed, getting sidetracked yet again. Justin was released to the ground, everyone running away as soon as the figure turned to them. It wasn't until his gaze landed on Asriel when he stopped looking around.

His hood was pulled completely down now, revealing who it was. Any hope Asriel had that he was his brother vanished. With the hood off, the face was fully revealed. It was a monster. How had he not even noticed that in the first place? It was fairly obvious. "Hey, kid?" The monster kneeled down next to Asriel. "Are you alright?"

Asriel gave a slow nod, taking time to try and figure out what monster this was. He seemed to be a goat monster like himself, but the paws made it evident that this was not the case. He obviously had some sort of dog-like paws. A tail was not visible, being hidden under the cloak. Maybe the reason Asriel thought it could have been his brother was because of the color of his fur. It was a vibrant gold with red scars and horns, the features similar to his hyperdeath form. That was what hurt him the most.

It was as if he was looking at something that died long ago. Was this his punishment for failing? Was this what he deserved? The world reminding him that he failed his best friend? "Hey?" The monster waved a paw in front of Asriel's face. "Do you have a concussion or something?"

"N-No… I'm fine…" Asriel huffed, realizing he had just talked to this stranger. He wanted so badly for him to just go away.

"No, you aren't…" Standing up, the monster helped Asriel stand. "Listen, are any of your parents around? Or do you think you need to see a nurse?"

Asriel went silent again, refusing to talk to this monster any longer. This was just the world's way of spiting him. With a sigh, the monster began leading Asriel towards the direction of Toriel's classroom. What was strange was the fact that he knew where it was… did he go to this school?

The monster took notice, arching a brow. "What? When you have a ton of wolf in you, you pick up scents. You smell like pie and someone else in the building smells like pie. Put two and two together and BAM. I conclude she is your mom." He said with confidence. Asriel rolled his eyes, realizing Toriel was about to march up to the front office and yell at every living being there to stop this bullying. Now it was clear that this monster was some sort of goat/wolf hybrid. Pretty odd mix… "Aaaanyways," The monster began. "I never really introduced myself. My name is James, nice to meet ya." He said, extending a paw for a handshake.

He didn't want to answer, but it'd only be impolite not to. "Asriel…" The smaller monster mumbled, accepting the handshake. A smile flickered on James's face, before he realized they were at the entrance to Toriel's room. "H… How did you find me anyways?" He asked with curiosity.

"Well…" The monster winked. "First of all, I can smell him from a mile away. He doesn't clean himself very well and I smelled pie next to him so…" James shrugged. "I kinda wanted the pie."

Both of their gazes snapped to the motherly goat standing before them. She was giving James the death glare. "What is the meaning of this? Who did this to him?" She asked James with hostility in her voice.

Surprisingly, the monster was actually _calm_ and unfazed by the death stare. That is a super human trait. "Your son was being bullied by a kid who smelled like he had jumped in a sewer. I brought him here because he wouldn't tell me if he wanted the nurse or you…"

"How did you even…" She shook her head. "Nevermind…" Instead of pressing the casual monster for questions, she invited the two inside, motioning for James to sit down while she tended to Asriel. Her hands hummed with green healing magic as she pressed against Asriel's sore face. "Now… can you please tell me everything that happened… erm… what's your name?" A blush of embarrassment formed across her face, realizing she forgot to ask his name.

He didn't care. "My name's James. Anyways, I was walking around outside, enjoying the day…" _That was a lie._ "Then I smelled a sewer…"

"Please skip the comedy…" Toriel mumbled.

Nodding in understanding, James got to the point. "Alright, so when I came in, that kid… Justin I think? He was beating Asriel up." He paused. Toriel's expression was livid. "So… he stole Asriel's jacket and then proceeded to try to punch him. I stepped in the way and… well…"

"And you did what?" Toriel asked.

"Meh…" James shoved his hands in the cloak pockets. "I gave him what he deserved."

She nodded, showing no signs of disapproval. Asriel was sure she would have done the same. "Alright… thank you for bringing him here." She said, shaking the monster's paw.

"You're welcome Toriel." He said, waving his hand. Toriel's eyes widened, realizing what he had just said. "Anyways, I'll be off. Someone needs me right now."

"W-Wait how did y-" She rubbed her eyes in astonishment, realizing no one was in front of her any longer. "Know my name…" She trailed off, wondering what just happened.

* * *

James walked into the entrance of the barrier, seeing his partner in crime. "Heya, I'm back." He announced, catching the human's attention.

"Good…" They mumbled. "Did you get what you were looking for?"

"Yep…" He whipped out a bag from his pocket. "I may have done an 'uh oh' twice, but I got to it." The bag contained a white shard hovering from the opening. "Extracted it from the jacket… pretty simple."

"...How was Asriel?"

"Oh…" An annoyed expression crossed James's face. "He isn't doing well. I came across someone bullying him and I maaay have frozen time a few times to beat the crap out of him."

The human laughed. "That's just like you. Good job." It was their turn to take out their own bag. "Well, I got four shards." The one James resonated with the other four. The human grabbed a heart shaped device and held it outwards. Two shards already rested in it. The five shards all launched towards the device, joining with the others.

"...We aren't even a quarter of the way…" James mumbled.

"Heh… we'll make it… then we can go back to our normal lives, right?"

"Right… Let's go then…"

"Alright, next stop is… oh god dammit why Sans again?"

 **I'm wondering how many people will try to guess who these two are.**

 **Anyways, introducing a new Character! The character James came into my mind when I was having a convo about OCs online. People were giving out their ideas and being that my favorite animal is a wolf and I'm addicted to goat monsters... I made a hybrid. Yay. Also, the only thing about him that's really wolf is the paws (He has moveable thumbs chill out XD) and the tail and smell. Everything else is more goat-monster like.**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 is a NEEERRRRD**


	36. Chapter 36

**Chapter 36: Loose Ends**

"Okay, we are going to need an actual game plan for this one." James said, tugging on his ear. While they weren't stretchy at all, they were fun as hell to play with.

The human looked downward in thought. "Well… how did you get the jacket from Asriel? I mean, that couldn't have been easy…"

"I wanted the pie…" James muttered. "He wasn't exactly in possession of it at the time… I swooped in and extracted it while it wasn't with him."

"But remember…" They sighed, "Sans will know if either of us stop time. Getting the shard directly from his eye will be _huge_ trouble. Then we have to get one from Papyrus…"

James casually leaned against the wall. Although, his expression was distraught. "That… isn't going to work. There is no way around that unless we do it by force."

"And…" The human lowered their hood. "I literally can't get anywhere near them. They'll recognize me in a second and I… I can't imagine what Sans would do if he saw me again."

"So this falls on me?" James asked, annoyed. The human in front of him nodded. "Alright, I'll try not to die then…"

"And while you're doing that… I guess I'll go off to find other shards… Apparently, there are some that don't even exist in this world…"

"Aw c'mon," A smirk formed on James's face. "You're not gonna hang around for Christmas?"

"Psh, we don't have time for that." Standing up, the human began walking towards the exit to the Underground. "Oh, by the way, I'll be looking around for how to get to the other shards. And please… try not to die?"

"You got it. See you on the other side…" Snapping his fingers, James disappeared on the spot.

The human sighed, "Gaster… why did you make this so difficult?"

* * *

"I can't believe them!" Toriel huffed, slamming the car door shut. Frisk and Asriel were both currently terrified of Toriel's mood. "They said that there is nothing they can do about the bully problem. Of course there is!"

"Mom, please come d-" Frisk tried to say but was interrupted.

"How can I calm down when my own children are being beaten?" She was livid. Taking a deep breath, she attempted to calm herself down. It didn't work. "We will bring this up at the PTA tomorrow night. I am sick of people mistreating you two."

At the mention of a PTA meeting, everyone's faces paled. The bane of everyone's existence were these meetings. Sans was coming to this one after hearing what happened _last_ time. This wouldn't be a fun night for anyone. "Um mom?" Frisk asked. "Can we just skip that meeting please?"

"As much as I'd love to take up that offer my child…" Her face formed into a scowl. "My people need me…"

The human let out a snicker at Toriel's antics. However, Asriel was drifting off as usual. The events that had just occurred sent his mind into a downward spiral. He was still questioning whether James had been real or not… Although, he supposed that had to have happened because if it didn't, he'd have been hit square in the face, and Toriel wouldn't remember. Maybe he had a bad concussion?

No, it was pretty obvious that _had_ happened. The thing that really confused him was _how_ it did. It was almost as if that monster could be in one place then exist in another… It was so confusing. What really scared him was how Asriel had initially thought, without question, that James was his dead brother. How could he have made such a stupid mistake without even knowing who the monster was?

He shook the thought out of his head. That was impossible. When a soul shatters, it's gone. It's gone forever unless you load a save or reset. Neither of those had occurred according to Sans. That only left one option, quit. And… Asriel was certain that was the option Bennett chose. Everytime he thought of this, his soul twisted with sadness. He just wanted things to be like they were before Gaster…

Which was EXACTLY why he needed Frisk to load a save. It still plagued his mind on why they wouldn't in the first place. He was finding out today, whether they liked it or not. "F-Frisk… can I talk to you w-when we get home?" He asked, averting his gaze from the human.

Frisk was mainly taken aback that he had talked. "S-Sure Azzy." The monster visibly flinched at the nickname. "Asriel." They corrected themself. Asriel had been touchy on that nickname ever since his brother died.

When they finally got home, Asriel told Frisk to meet him in the backyard. The human was becoming unsure about all of this, but agreed anyways. As soon as they both were out there, Asriel got to the point. "Frisk… why haven't you reset yet?"

They saw this coming. Asriel hadn't brought it up in a few weeks, but it was inevitable for this question to pop up. "Asriel I-"

"Don't answer unless you mean it Frisk." His voice was rough and full of hurt. "Just please… tell me why you aren't resetting yet."

The human was reduced to silence. How would they tell him that they simply couldn't? They didn't want to break his heart. "Asriel… please… I don't want to hurt y-"

"HOW MORE CAN I BE HURT FRISK?" He lashed out. His right eye bursting into gold flame. Rain began trickling from the sky. "DON'T YOU SEE HOW HURT I ALREADY AM? WHY DON'T YOU JUST TELL ME?"

"BECAUSE I DON'T WANT TO HURT YOU ASRIEL!" For the first time since Asriel had met Frisk, the human yelled at him. He had never heard Frisk's voice raise like that.

Although, that didn't change his goal. "Frisk… please… is this just because you are curious? You just want to watch us suffer for your amusement? Is this what this is?"

"Asriel," Frisk took a deep breath. "I _can't_ reset."

"Yes you CAN. What harm would there be in resetting again? You've already done it five hundred times. What would one more time change?"

"I mean I _can't_ Asriel. Something out there won't let me reset." Tears began forming in Frisk's eyes. "Asriel, I didn't want to get your hopes up about him still being out there. He _isn't."_

"So… this whole time…" Tears flowed freely from his eyes. "Thanks Frisk… I'll be going now…"

"Wait Asriel!" They yelled to the monster, realizing that gold light was enveloping him. They were too late. He had disappeared from thin air. Rushing inside, they looked around for any sign of Asriel.

Toriel noticed their panicked expression. "My child, is everything alright?"

"Mom, it's Asriel." They yelled from the top of the stairs, now checking the bedrooms. With no luck, they began hyperventilating on where he went. "Oh my god he's gone. Mom, Asriel's gone we have to-"

"On it!" Toriel was already dialing numbers on her phone. Asriel wouldn't have just run off like that unless he was going to Sans's place. She dialed his number, waiting for a response.

"Sup…" Sans said through the phone.

"Sans, is Asriel over there?" She asked, trying to remain calm.

"Eh…" Sans looked around in his house to see if the boss monster was anywhere to be seen. "Nope, not that I know o-"

"Sans! We HAVE to find him!" Toriel yelled through the phone in panic.

"Woah Toriel, calm down." _He had been demoted to calling her by her full name._ "Tell me what happened…"

"Frisk is more suited to do that." She stated, handing the cell to the quivering human. "Frisk, tell us everything."

* * *

The tears and rain around him blotted out his vision. He didn't care anymore. The pain in his soul couldn't be ignored any longer. It was all too much now. Pulling the hood of his brother's jacket over his head, he kept walking towards the familiar place. The barrier…

It was ironic really. Asriel had heard of why Bennett came here when the barrier shattered in the first place. Now, he was going down the same path. The sun had begun its descent down the afternoon sky. Just what he needed. _One last sunset…_ It wasn't exactly a proper sunset when the rain clouds blotted out the light.

In vain, he had hoped one day this pain would all just be reset. That was what he was clinging onto. Now, he knew exactly why it hadn't happened. The world would never reset. The events that had occurred were permanent. Nothing could bring _him_ back. Both Chara and Bennett were just… gone.

The pain had finally taken him. He couldn't handle this anymore. If he stayed any longer, he would go insane. Not only was he a danger to everyone, but he was a danger to himself. Why him? Why did he have to suffer through all of this? The rain began pouring down harder as the ground began inclining.

Mt. Ebott loomed over him. The barrier was just up this hill if he remembered correctly. What was near the barrier? _A cliff._ He had had enough. This was it… He couldn't take the guilt anymore. Hopefully this time, no one would bring him back to suffer further. There it was… the sunset was glistening with its beautiful array of colors.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you…" A voice behind him spoke. The panic in his voice was there, but trying to be concealed. "I've been down that path once, it won't get you anywhere."

Asriel whirled around, being brought to disappointment once again. From the description he gave, Asriel thought it would be his brother talking behind him. Of course, just like last time, James was there. "What are _you_ doing here." Asriel snarled in annoyance. This had been the second time this monster had shown up with little to no explanation.

"Well… you won't believe this but… I smelled pie…" He shrugged. "But in all seriousness, I saw you running by, crying." Concern became written on his face.

"Go away… I want to be alone…" He mumbled, facing towards the cliffside.

James paused for a moment, his normal smug grin disappearing. "I'm afraid I can't let you do that Asriel." He cautiously began moving towards the younger boss monster. "Please… that won't help you." He said, motioning towards the cliffside.

"You wouldn't understand!" He spat back.

"Then help me understand Asriel." He had gotten too close for Asriel's liking. "Just talk to me… I can help you through whatever is bugging you."

"I'm sorry…" He apologized, spinning around and sprinting.

James noticed exactly what he was going. "ASRIEL NO!"

He was too late to act. Asriel's feet left the ground as the cliff dipped to the ground below. This was it… wasn't it? Just like that, his life would be gone. Secretly, he hoped it would be painful. Asriel thought he deserved it for how much he failed. That was when he noticed he wasn't the only one falling.

He looked up to where he had jumped, eyes widening in shock. James was coming _right after him._ Was this monster insane? Asriel noticed that he was beginning to fall slower to the ground below. What was happening? It was then when Asriel saw a glint of something in James's paw. There was a stopwatch that was ticking slower and slower. "You're not going anywhere on my watch."

Asriel struggled to stay out of his reach, but the other monster was able to grab on. It was then when the stopwatch stopped ticking. It was then when Asriel realized that this monster who was trying to save him was a force to be reckoned with. Both James and Asriel had completely come to a stop in midair, the world unmoving. "W-What…?" Asriel was so confused.

James was straining himself too much to talk. The stopwatch began moving backwards. They were moving _upwards_ to the edge of the cliff. The expression on James's face told Asriel not to even try getting away. Before Asriel knew it, he was back on the edge of the cliff, being held by James. The cloaked monster stumbled to the ground, releasing Asriel in the process.

The only sound that passed between the two was the sound of James panting in exhaustion. That feat had apparently taken so much out of him. Asriel was trembling in fear, wondering how he had just done that. More importantly, a feeling washed over Asriel that he hadn't felt in a long time. Relief… He began regretting his decision. "H-Hey, are y-"

James put a hand up, signalling for Asriel to stop talking. "I… I'm fine… J-Just don't… do that again… okay?" He was visibly sweating after that. But the most important thing Asriel saw was how _scared_ James looked. "Just… why did you do that?"

"I…" _Why did he think that would solve anything?_ Regret began filling his soul. If he succeeded in that, he would have left everyone in worse of a state than they were now. "I-I'm sorry…" He fell to his knees, tears brimming in his eyes. "I'm so so sorry…"

"Asriel…" James tried to call his attention. "Do you need someone to talk to?"

Hesitating only for a moment, he slowly nodded. "Y-Yes…"

"Listen, whatever is bothering you… you can tell me. I'll keep it a secret if you want me to." The concern on James's face shook Asriel to the core. He had assumed James was a laid back type guy. That had proven very wrong.

Asriel began bawling, his cries echoing through the area. "I… I let him die… After all he did… I let him die…"

James was more attentive now, taking a seat next to the crying child. "Who is _he_ exactly?"

That had seemed to touch a sensitive spot quite easily. "W-Well… He… I used to not be able to feel anything… He came along and changed that…" Asriel felt the fabric of the jacket around him, trying to remember what the last time his brother wore that was like.

"That was his… wasn't it?" Asriel looked up to James who had asked the question. For a moment, Asriel thought he saw something completely different than the monster sitting there. It was just his imagination.

Asriel nodded. "H-He wore this wherever he went…" The memory of Bennett dying in the entrance to his home played through his head over and over. "O-One day… he and a friend were in the Underground… He… he came back and…"

The hybrid monster knew exactly how that ended. "He died…" James shut his eyes, knowing too well of the events that most monsters had heard of. A monster by the name of W.D. Gaster absorbed the soul of the Ex-Queen's adopted son. "Asriel… I'm sorry for your loss."

James's eyes widened in surprise when Asriel wrapped his arms around him. "I don't want to do this anymore! I just want him back… He… he didn't deserve to die like that…"

"Asriel…" James tucked the crying monster under his cloak, giving him shelter from the rain that was pelting them both. "Have you ever thought if maybe he would want you to move on? What would he think of you giving up so easily?"

"H-How would you know?" His eyes were becoming red from how much he was crying. "I-It's not just like that…"

Silence passed between the two for a moment. "I've had to deal with someone close dying too…" He finally spoke. "And you know what? I'm sure they are more happy where they are now… The last thing he'd want from you is for you to be happy."

"But…" There was no further argument. Asriel knew that what James had said was true. Bennett wouldn't have wanted what he was trying to do before. "T-Thank you…" His eyes began drooping. "I-I haven't felt like this in a long time…"

"Heh…" James noticed how Asriel was beginning to put more weight on him. _He was probably exhausted._ "Asriel, if you're tired you can sleep right here…"

There was no response. That signalled that the monster had finally given up on fighting the pain, and finally went to sleep. A subconscious smile spread across James's face. "Funny… I haven't felt like this in a long time either Asriel…" He reached a paw to his own neck, feeling something resting on his chest.

 **Sorry, this chapter was meant to be longer but my sister is going to be on the computer for now... I wanted to get it out before that happened.**

 **Also, I find it funny how no one has figured what I'm planning out yet...**

 **Poor Asriel though... he's suffering through so much...**

 **Reviews are encouraged**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 flies into a wall for no reason!**

 **Also, a new series is coming out soon! It's basically Sans starting a youtube channel. Spin off of this fanfic!**


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37: Dare to Damage**

James's eye barely cracked open when remembering how he had gotten here in the first place. 'Did I really just fall asleep?' He kept asking himself. That was when he felt the resting monster right next to him. Asriel was still sound asleep next to him, being half covered by a cloak.

Internally laughing about how cute this was, James lightly nudged Asriel, trying to see if he'd wake up. The monster stirred slightly, but didn't exactly wake up. Sighing, James decided to let him sleep. He had been through a lot. Although, if he had to guess, Toriel was probably worried sick about him.

Allowing Asriel to sleep, James carefully hoisted him off of the ground. Thank goodness monsters were extremely light being that they were mainly made of magic. Asriel adjusted himself a bit, but still didn't wake up. 'This is so cute.' James thought to himself as he began walking down the mountain.

The grass beneath his uncovered feet was still wet from the day before. That was one thing he absolutely hated about not wearing any shoes. Your feet get wet and dirty while outside. Although, it was better than cramming them into shoes.

His right ear perked up at the sound of voices in the distance. While he did have goat monster ears, he still had incredible hearing from his wolf side. Both of the voices sounded quite familiar. In a few seconds, he identified them as Toriel and Sans. This would be difficult to explain.

Walking towards the sound of their voices, James prepared for the worst. If he knew anything about the two of them, it's that they'd be pissed. Just to avoid any questions he couldn't answer, he finally decided to wake Asriel up. "Hey… it's time to get up Asriel…"

When hearing his name, the boss monster began finally opening his eyes. He struggled to keep them open because of the morning sunlight in his eyes. "W-Wha… where am I?"

"You're at the base of Mt. Ebott… Remember?" James asked, keeping a sharp eye out for Sans and Toriel.

Asriel lowered his head in shame. "Y-Yes…" He seemed to be able to hear the two of them as well. "P-Please don't tell them about w-what I did…"

He shook his head in response. "I can't do that Asriel." The monster he was carrying looked up in confusion. "I can't always be keeping an eye on you. You were lucky I was there when it happened…"

"But… mom will… I don't want to see the look on her face when she realizes what I did… I can't do that." Tears began welling in his eyes. "Just please don't tell them…"

"Asriel…" James growled. "I understand you're scared, but I'm not gonna let you try to do _that_ again."

"But-"

"My child?" Toriel had found the two. As soon as she set eyes on James carrying Asriel, flames ignited from her fists. "What are you doing with my SON?"

"Woah woah woah calm down." James safely lowered Asriel to the ground to avoid enraging the already livid Toriel. "I found him out here and decided to bring him back…"

"That's not what happened…" Sans walked out from behind Toriel, his eye blazing blue. "Who are you, and where the hell did you come from?"

"Well…" James shrugged. "I would answer you, but you're being a bit rude for someone who saved your son's life…" Asriel visibly flinched. However, James didn't go any further on the subject. "So I won't answer ya… I like being edgy." James gave a wave. "See ya Asriel."

Sans attempted to grab James's soul with blue magic, but was stopped short when the world around him stopped moving. He had seen this happen many times in the past few days. Time would suddenly freeze, even once moving backwards. It was then when he realized who the culprit of the time shenanigans was. The monster before him casually began walking off, unaffected by the flow of time.

He tried to move, but like all of the other times, couldn't muster the strength to move one bit. He seemed to be the only one other than Frisk who actually noticed this stopping. Unless, of course, Asriel could tell when it was happening as well. In a few seconds, everything reverted to normal, the monster gone.

"Asriel Dreemurr!" Toriel gave her signature glare. "You have some explaining to do!"

* * *

"That… was a bit too close…" James muttered under his breath. Barely managing to get away from Sans was a feat that most never would be able to pull off in a thousand lifetimes. While he had acted very casual about his encounter, he knew fully well Sans could have trapped him right there.

The fact that Sans now knew it was him altering time would be an issue. Getting the shard from both Papyrus and Sans would be harder than he thought. Pausing time would ensure Sans coming after him as soon as the effect wore off. And it wasn't like he could have time frozen forever, using that kind of magic wore him out.

James's foot splashed into a puddle, earning a groan from the monster. The small bit of water began to catch his attention. He took a moment to look at his own reflection.

*Despite everything… is this really you?

He stared at the reflection that was his, but wasn't at the same time. Kicking away the puddle, James turned away from the true yet false reflection. He didn't have time for pondering on that anymore. All he needed to do was get the last of these shards, then everything in his life would go back to normal.

But… his partner said some weren't even in his world. If that was the case, he'd be unable to return to his normal life. He was having an internal war with himself. Only time would tell at this rate. He'd stick around. If he could, maybe he could convince Sans to allow him to have the shard.

But even that wouldn't work. Sans knew about Gaster. He probably knew he had a shard in him. Sans wouldn't agree to that under any circumstances. There was no viable option. Only one person would know how to perfectly execute this, Gaster. James wasn't exactly sure how to get into the void, but there was one place he could think of where Gaster could be…

Snapping his fingers, James disappeared into Waterfall. Sure enough, the gray door was waiting for him. "Hopefully he is here…" James muttered, pushing open the door. All that awaited him was darkness. "Hello? Gaster?" He called out into the dark abyss.

" **You have already returned?"** A hollow voice sounded from the darkness. " **How is your progress young one?"**

"Well… that's why I'm here." He fiddled with his ear in slight stress. "The next two shards are in Sans and Papyrus… I don't know how to get it from them…"

" **I see…"** A small hum could be heard from the darkness. " **They will give it to you when they are ready…"**

"Wait what?"

" **Taking those shards by force will not only put you at high risk of death, but it will also defeat the purpose of this whole mission…"**

James looked down in understanding. "But, they barely even know me! How am I supposed to gain their trust?"

" **I think you already know the answer to that…"** A chuckle came from the dark abyss ahead. " **You cannot keep that secret forever. Someday, someone is going to find out…"**

"I know… I'll notify the other."

" **Good… Now go."**

He nodded, turning to leave the void. Gaster was right. His secret could not be kept forever. Someday, someone would find out about him. As of now, he wasn't quite ready.

" **Also, notify your partner that they will not find any info on getting into the other timelines… You can only get through when the time comes…"**

"W-Wait… so when we get the shards from Sans and Papyrus… are we…" He trailed off, excitement seizing his soul.

" **Yes… until you are able to access the other timelines… you are free to live your lives as you wish…"**

James couldn't believe it. After all of this, it was finally coming to a close. If he did his job, he'd be able to finally be free. "T-Thank you Gaster…" With that, he left the room and proceeded to the end of the Underground. He would finally be free…

* * *

The front door of the Dreemurr household shot open as the trio walked through the door. Asriel was cowering in pure fear on what would take place. This would take a lot of explaining. Frisk had heard the commotion and came barreling down the stairs. At the sight of Asriel, their tension drifted away. "Asriel! You're okay!"

Toriel gave Frisk a look as if saying, 'He's in big trouble.' Motioning to the living room, Toriel told everyone to sit down. This was the first time in awhile Sans wasn't being stared down by her. As soon as everyone was settled, she began. Mother lecture time… "Asriel what were you thinking! Why did you run off so suddenly?"

"Mom…" Frisk interjected, "It was my fault Asriel ran off… I said some things I shouldn't have…"

Toriel eyed Frisk with suspicion. "Alright? But that isn't it. Who was that with you Asriel?" She said, turning back to the monster who was trying to hide in the jacket.

"I-I don't know…" He lied.

The motherly boss monster would have none of that. "Of course you know who he is! He helped you in the school the other day! What do you know about him?"

Asriel froze. In reality, he knew nearly nothing about James. He hadn't really bothered to learn anything about him yet. Although, the fact that he could pull of the feat of magic he used on that cliff was a good bit of info. "I-I don't know m-much about him." He lied once again.

This time it was Sans who saw through him. "That expression… that's the expression of someone who _knows_ something. C'mon kid, we're just trying to figure out who he is." Sans stated, giving off a feeling he wasn't going to take another lie for an answer.

Asriel did the one thing he _knew_ no one would be able to see through. He remained completely silent, not saying a word. For some reason, he had a strange feeling that revealing what James did on the cliff that day would be a horrible idea. Something just told him not to say anything about it.

"Asriel?" Toriel asked, raising an eyebrow. "I will not take this quiet attitude right now…" She clenched her teeth, realizing he was not going to speak. She wanted to badly to maintain herself, but it was difficult when Asriel wouldn't tell anyone anything. For all she knew, he could have been kidnapped by that monster. "Asriel… I am trying my best to help you right now, but you _have_ to cooperate."

"Kid, I wouldn't make her mad." Sans shrugged. "It isn't that hard. Just tell us what you know and we'll handle him."

"No." Asriel made his decision with affirmity. "I don't need to tell you anything."

"Excuse me?" Toriel seemed taken aback by his sudden boldness. "And why is that?"

Scratching his ear, Asriel asked himself the same question. There was no reason why it would do harm to tell them just a little bit. But, he just felt compelled to keep his presence hidden. He couldn't describe the feeling going through him right now. "Because I trust him enough… you don't need to hunt him down for helping me…"

"Kid, I understand he helped ya… But you have to understand… That monster is dangerous." He spat, nearly losing his temper. "Look, I checked his stats out there and it's not good."

Asriel had lost it. If there was one thing Sans was good at, it was judging someone by stats. "And how does that make someone bad? Bennett had five LOVE and you didn't treat him like this!"

"I hate to break it to ya prince, but when I can't read someone's LOVE, they are cloaking it. When they are trying to hide their LOVE, they are trying to lay low. He was cloaking it… We can't trust him."

"I'm still not telling you anything!" He refused to tell them anything. Asriel fully knew what Sans's intentions would be if he figured out James could manipulate… time… Something clicked in Asriel's head. _That_ was why Sans wanted him. There was no reason to slaughter him. Sans had to have known he could manipulate time.

"Kid I'm trying to help you all!" Sans's eye began igniting in fury. "You probably understand why I'm doing this as well!

Toriel stepped in to avoid conflict between the two. "Listen, there is no need to raise voices anymore. Let's sit down and have a nice talk…"

"No mom!" Asriel slammed his hand down on the table. His Asgore initiative side was coming to him. "I don't want to talk about it. Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"Because I care about you Asriel!" Toriel's eyes sparked with rage. "I have had it. I have tried so hard to help you move on ever since a month ago, but you haven't opened up ONCE!" Asriel flinched at her tone. He felt smaller and smaller the more she talked. "We have been trying to help you but you refuse to allow anyone in. I'd wish you'd understand that instead of crying over someone who can't come back! Asriel he is GONE!"

Instantly, Toriel wished she could have taken that back. She kept asking herself in despair why she had to snap like that. The look on Asriel's face was one of pure betrayal. "You… you really think that about me?"

"Asriel I didn't mean-"

"Of course you meant that… Is that what he is to you now? A bad memory?" The hurt in his voice was evident. It even shook the grin off of Sans's face. "He… he was your own child… and then you just forget him?"

Toriel tried to form words to repair what she had just said. However, the damage was already done. Even Sans had been shaken up from that display. Asriel's right eye began glowing as he whirled around from the spot, heading up to his room to be alone. Not his room, _his_ room. The room of the one Toriel had decided to forget…

His mind and heart were both racing. How? How could Toriel just expect him to completely forget? How could anyone expect him to forget the one who brought him back to life in the first place? It was… torture. It felt like a whole part of him had just disappeared. He had talked to Sans about that once, and it was apparently normal. Asriel literally _had_ lost a piece of himself.

Their souls were the same, but completely different as well. From what Sans had told him, their souls were made up of the same components, but distributed in different ways. Now… Asriel had essentially lost half of himself. It… felt so empty. He couldn't move on after he had to watch Bennett's death replay over and over again in his head.

His ear perked up when he heard feet coming up the stairs. There was no doubt it was Frisk. When would they understand that he didn't want to talk? Asriel stood up from his position and slammed the door of the room shut in Frisk's face as they tried to walk in. Not a moment later, knocking came from the other side. "Asriel? Are you in there?"

He didn't want to answer. Asriel sunk down beside the bed that was still there for guest room purposes. That was what this room had reverted back to. Everyone felt it when they entered this room. The feeling of regret and emptiness was prominent, blocking out all positive thoughts. Deciding not to answer, Asriel buried his head in his knees, trying to block out the sounds.

It proved effective. "Asriel… I understand if you don't want to talk but… if you ever need to… I'm still here." Frisk begged for him to talk. They just wanted to know he was alright. "Alright, I'll leave you alone now." They said defeated, walking slowly away from the door.

Before he could sink back into his thoughts, a text came in from Sans. He considered putting his phone on silent, but this text proved there was a God.

"Hey kid, you seem too down to go to the PTA tonight… Toriel and I will be gone for a bit, Frisk is with you…" -DunkleSans

That was more time to gather his thoughts. Any moment now they'd be heading off. The feeling of being alone… it had suddenly gone away. He wasn't alone in the room, was he? Turning his head around, Asriel noticed the familiar face staring at him. James was propped against the bed, giving him a questioning look. "You alright there buddy?"

Without thinking, Asriel threw himself at the older monster, wrapping his arms around him. He couldn't help but sob into James's cloak. James himself was stunned that Asriel had acted so quickly upon seeing someone randomly appearing in the same room as you with no explanation.

The hitches coming from Asriel told James that he needed comfort. While he wasn't too good at this whole depression management thing, he decided to lightly stroke the smaller monster, trying to get him to calm down. "Hey, Asriel… are you alright?" He only received Asriel's shaking head in response. "Okay then…" He muttered, trying to get through. "Would you mind telling me what's wrong?"

Finally, Asriel began talking. "R-Remember who I-I talked to y-you about yesterday?" His eyes were brimmed with tears.

It didn't take much for James to realize what was going on. Although, he questioned anyways, "What about him?"

"M-Mom said some things… I-I don't know what to d-do…" He whimpered, not paying attention to the footsteps sounding through the hallway.

"Asriel," James looked down at the crying monster. Making sure Asriel was taking him seriously, James grabbed his face and stared at him, eye to eye. That was the first time Asriel actually paid attention to their color. "Do you think he would have wanted you to stay like this? No, he wouldn't have. Do you think he'd want you to shut everyone out? No… He'd want you to live your life Asriel."

There was no response. Asriel's mouth was hanging open at what he just saw. His tears ceased to exist when the door of the bedroom flew open. Frisk stepped in, seeming more aggressive than normal. "Who are you? And what are you doing near my brother?"

 **Next chapter will be PTA and a heart to heart with Asriel**

 **What could our little goat boy have seen? Eee hee hee**

 **All of this depressing stuff is killing me... I need to fit some fluff in soon 0-0**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 hates school!**


	38. Chapter 38

**Chapter 38: Broken Bonds**

The two gave death glares directly at each other, not once faltering. The sheer determination coming from both could be felt in the room. Neither would lower their gaze. Finally, after what felt like ages of the tension, James dropped his gaze. "Wow, you're the _third_ person who has been extremely rude today."

Frisk stomped their foot. "Well, maybe you shouldn't randomly appear in my house. That'd be a good start."

"And maybe you should keep a better check on your brother's emotions?" He shot back, the glare intensifying once more. "I mean, I'm only here to fix the mess you've been making."

Frisk pinched the bridge of their nose. "Could you kindly explain what you are doing in my house?" Their patience was definitely dwindling now. "I'd really love an explanation."

Not even worrying about how pissed Frisk was, James leaned back onto the bed behind him. Asriel was currently watching the two in fear of what would happen if one attacked… "Well, here is your explanation…" He began doing jazz hands. "Maaagic." Noticing Frisk was about to go complete genocide on him, he dropped the act. "Alright fine, I was checking in on cinnamon roll here."

"And I'm assuming you were the one who Sans was talking about…" The pieces to who exactly this was clicked. Although, for some strange reason, Frisk didn't feel like they were in any danger at all. This was really odd.

James noticed. However, he knew exactly why Frisk was feeling this way. The fact that they hadn't caught on yet was a good thing. If anyone found out what was _really_ going on, things would get really bad. "Listen Frisk, I saw your brother getting bullied one day. Since then, we ran into each other during certain… events." He scratched his ear uncomfortably. "I'm just checking on his emotional status… that's all."

"Excuse me, but I'm his sibling. I think I can handle this just fine…" Frisk scoffed in annoyance. "Regardless, you shouldn't be trusting a stranger Asriel."

Asriel immediately knew they had just fallen into a death trap. James stood up from where he was sitting, clearly livid. Immediately, Asriel knew what he was just about to say. "Well little buddy…. You obviously haven't been doing your job very well…" Frisk tried to protest, but was quickly stopped by a hand raising to signal that he wasn't done. "Not only that, but your brother would be dust if I wasn't around." The human was completely silent, the enraged monster looming over them. "The fact that you hold yourself so high sickens me. You THINK you have done everything you can. Yet, he still felt the need to end the pain _forever."_ This was just getting out of hand. "Get off your damn high horse and look around you. Your perfect little happy ending with your friends is plagued by you all being so gullible and oblivious to the fact that your brother is falling apart."

Frisk wanted to completely disappear from the room. Those words stung their soul worse than any magical attacks had ever done. "I-I didn't mean-"

"Oh, is this how we are playing now?" James's hand clenched into a tight fist. "You're playing the victim now, how cute. After all, it isn't the first time you've done this…" Bobbing back and forth slightly, he continued his large rant. "I hate to bring you back to reality, but Asriel is currently a wreck. And somehow, I, a random stranger who shows up, ended up giving him more comfort in a day than you did in a bloody month!"

"How would you know all of this?" Even after all those harsh words, they remained determined to somehow think they were trying their best. "Like you said, you showed up a day ago and you already think you know more about him than us! I've known Asriel for more than a lifetime and I can assure you he'll be f-"

" **NO."** The tone of James's voice shocked both Frisk and Asriel to their core. Shadows were covering his eyes. "If you _think_ he is perfectly fine. If you _think_ you can still help him with empty words… then I'll take my leave."

"Then get out!" Frisk screamed, pointing towards the door. "I won't let you tell me about my brother who I have known forever."

"And I won't let him die!" He bit his lip, trying to contain the anger boiling in his soul. "If I find him on that cliff again, I will not stand for this at all!" His fangs were visibly showing. Now, Frisk felt in immense danger. "This has gone too far and you haven't even considered one small possibility that could change this all back. Oh wait, you're to blind to see the truth in front of you." James whipped out the stopwatch, the clock dangling from its golden chain. "When you do, you know where to find me Asriel."

Frisk and Asriel both found that they were no longer able to move. However, James was casually walking away, winking before leaving the room. The magic holding them in place released. As soon as that happened, Frisk rushed over to the leaving intruder. They were surprised to find that there was no trace of him ever being there…

Quickly, Frisk ran back into the Guest Bedroom to make sure Asriel was still there. Thankfully, he was still sitting there. His head was buried in his knees as he tried to maintain himself. Frisk had just screwed up, hadn't they? They had just pushed away someone Asriel was trying to care about…

Silently, they tried sitting next to him. Asriel paid no attention to the human within his personal space. The dead silence that passed between the two for minutes on end was horrible. The tension could be cut with a knife. Neither wanted to talk to the other. Asriel just felt alone again, while Frisk didn't want to mess up any further. The two sat together, wondering when the other would finally speak...

Finally, after maybe an hour of that awful silence, Frisk gathered up Courage to speak. "Asriel…" They tried to get his attention. The monster next to them still averted his gaze. "I-I'm sorry about that… I shouldn't have snapped…" Frisk internally cursed at themselves for not finding better words to say. _That_ was the best they could do? It had been multiple timelines and they were still bad at speaking…

"Frisk?" The human flinched. They had no clue they would actually get a response. Normally, he'd stay silent whenever they would try to talk to him… "Don't you have anything better to do?" Those words… the last words Asriel always said to Frisk at the end of a True Pacifist Run… They cut through their heart like a knife. The fury in Asriel's eyes shone with vibrance. "Why can't you just leave me alone? I WANT to be alone Frisk. I just want to have time to think without anyone trying to "help" me."

"Asriel please I-"

They were interrupted, Asriel nearly in tears. "You aren't helping. So just go away!"

Frisk recoiled in shock. Yet, they wouldn't end this now. They had come to far for their brother to be taken over with sadness. "I won't go away Asriel. I CAN'T leave you!" The human's determination grew. "Asriel, there are no more resets. I finally got you back… You finally are able to live with a soul… If I lose you…" Frisk gulped, fighting back tears. "If I lose you… I won't be able to bring you back. It… it would kill me too…" But… that wasn't it? Was it? "That's not just it… Remember when we fought? You said you cared about me more than anyone else… I… I care about you too Asriel. We all do…"

Both of the children were crying. Asriel's head was lowered in shame. "Frisk I-I'm so sorry. I shouldn't h-" He was stopped when Frisk threw their arms around him. His shirt was being soaked in the tears of his human sibling. "I… I promise I w-will never leave you…" He managed to stutter out. That was all Frisk needed as a smile crept on their face…

* * *

"You think the kids are alright?" Sans asked, cocking his skull to the side. He wasn't feeling too well about leaving them alone, but Papyrus and Undyne were right next door if anything went wrong. Currently, nothing had been heard of yet.

Toriel was silently walking beside him. She was still in deep regret about what had been said before. No one would have guessed that would have come from her. The words just spilled out. She believed she didn't deserve to be forgiven after what she said. "Sans? Do you think I'm a horrible mother?" She asked, alluding from the previous question.

As expected, Sans blew it off. "C'mon Toriel, you did all you could… even throwing your life on the line to free his soul…" His eye sockets shut. "And I'm sure the prince will have to forgive you eventually. I mean, you're his mother." Seeing as they were at the entrance to the Cafeteria where the PTA would be held, Sans decided to end the conversation. "We can talk about this after the chaos settles…"

Toriel nodded, preparing for the worst. This would be horrible for both of them. As soon as they walked in, the chatter of multiple moms met their ears, or lack thereof. Taking some seats in the front of the Cafeteria, they uneasily looked around. Sans spotted the one who Toriel described as Linda. The thing that gave her away was the one hundred layers of makeup.

She seemed like the type that would be an annoyance. His pupils scanned towards the to-do list of the day. He rolled his eyes. First they'd discuss a uniform… Then a science fair which would come the next month. After that a Christmas play which should have been planned a long time ago for preparations. Then, the one that Sans was going to have fun with. The Monster/Human Classroom arrangements.

After a minute or so, the Cafeteria quieted down at Linda's signal. Many parents groaned in agony. "Welcome to the PTA everyone." Linda began, that fake smile stretching across her face. "We will try to keep this quick to let's get to business. First of all… we are here to discuss a uniform."

 _Seemed formal so far…_ A woman near the front, named Helen, raised her hand. Linda motioned to her to speak. It was almost like a business or something… "That's a wonderful idea Helen! A boys and girls uniform! Maybe a collared shirt with khaki shorts for the boys and a plaid dress for the girls?"

"There are multiple problems with that." Sans hoped he wouldn't have to step in much, but this was obviously bias.

Linda's eye twitched. Although, she tried to keep a strong composure. "And, who are you?" She asked in disgust.

 _Definitely a racist._ "Sans, Sans the Skeleton." He winked, keeping his left eye open.

"Well Mr… Sans. Uniforms help show that you are part of the school. It helps to not have everyone so diverse and to think they are different…" She spoke, Helen nodding in agreement.

"Wow, just wow. I really hoped this wouldn't be one of those generic PTA meetings with stupid moms, but this is ridiculous." He jeered as the other moms gasped in surprise. "Let me explain. Some kids will be gender neutral. Wearing one set of clothes for one gender would ruin that."

"Oh please, you're only saying that for that child of yours." A shrill voice behind him dared to say that about Frisk. She _dared._ "She needs to just be normal and accept who she is."

"Frisk doesn't classify as any gender, and I don't think they are the only one." His pupils began shrinking. "Even so… some monsters are different shapes and sizes. They need specific clothing to be able to actually be able to use it." His grin widened. "Also, I don't think they make a size for a child as fat as Linda's."

"You little-"

Sans grabbed a marker with his blue magic, drawing a large X over uniforms on clothing. "Nope, this school is for both humans and monsters. You have to make it accomadable for both."

If looks could kill, Sans would have been dust. She was livid, but continued on. All that makeup couldn't hide the deep red her face had turned to. "Alright… next is the science fair…"

The woman who had spoken behind Sans before stood up. Her name was Diana. "I would like to file a complaint about the science fair. It should be magic prohibited. It is unfair to our human students."

Sans knew what was going on now. Those other two women were Linda's henchmen. "Aw c'mon Diana. You expect them to work on _Diana_ saurs then?"

Her face flushed red. Trying to ignore his awful pun, she continued talking. "No, but magic isn't necessarily science yet, is it?"

She had a point. But, that didn't mean students couldn't study magic. Not to mention… "Actually Diana, the study of magic could be considered science. We could come to a compromise…" She seemed interested. "The students can only show how the magic works. They can't just make an item and call it science."

Everyone around the room nodded in agreement, including Diana. Linda wasn't so happy… using his blue magic again, he crossed that off the board. The meeting continued like this for the next two objectives. It wasn't until in the middle of the last topic when Sans lost it.

Toriel had stood up, completely disagreeing with this notion. "Excuse me, but separating humans and monsters just worsens the relationship. Bonding between the two would be better enforced if they are around each other and learn more about the other."

"Then explain why my child was attacked yesterday!" Linda asked, referring to James. "My child was minding his own business when a monster shocked him and terrified him. We can't have that around here."

"I'll have you know that your son was bullying my child!" Toriel yelled, anger rising in her voice. "That monster who showed up was unrelated to the school and Sans is… actually trying to find him. If anyone should be punished here it is your son for attacking mine!"

"You are so quick to defend your child aren't you?" Linda had found Toriel's weak spot. "I know my child better than you do. After all, my child hasn't died yet because I actually know him and know what he likes and what he loves to do…" A smirk formed on her face.

"Don't you dare talk about my child like that." Her voice became deathly and cold. "I-I tried my best. I tried to save him."

"And you failed?" Linda let out a small laugh. "Doesn't change that he's d-"

" **Don't you say one more word."** Sans's left eye was shining blue. The Gaster Blaster resting behind him, waiting for an order was menacing as it is. Linda recoiled, regretting her life choices. "It's not her fault he died. It's mine. You have no right to even talk about her child like that. And if you say one more thing about him…" His eye sockets disappeared. **"Bad doesn't even begin to describe the time you will be having..."**

The threat hung in the empty air. Immediately, the meeting was dismissed with no further conversation. Finally, Sans lowered his tensed shoulders, still in anger. Toriel was on the verge of tears after being forced to realize how much she failed at being a mother. She had lost nine children, one of which came back, another which died a second time. She felt her sins crawling on her back.

Not being able to hold back anymore, she finally released her tears, Sans trying to comfort her all the while.

* * *

 **Running…**

James kept running up Mt. Ebott, trying to get as far away as possible.

 **Faster…**

His breath grew ragged, his fur clumping from sweat.

 **Stronger…**

He didn't have much time before it happened. This whole time, he'd been fighting that demon inside… but now?

 **LOVE…**

He had given that demon exactly what it needed to unleash its full power. James could try to contain it, but he was far too unstable without his partner...

 **EXP…**

He had made it to the top of Mt. Ebott. He looked at his hand as it was slowly alternating between his and a dark black.

 **Power…**

A loud, unauthorized giggle sounded from him. His whole body began turning black, then to his own. The demon would get him eventually. He couldn't fight it forever. The red smile that was on the alternate face was even more terrifying than the one Chara had been able to do during a genocide route.

 **=D**

It was amused with his struggle...

He collapsed to the ground, someone managing to catch him. It was his friend. Somehow, they had managed to find him. "H-Hey, dammit… stay with me!" Receiving no response, they began pulling him off, trying to get him out of the open. "Sorry for this." The cloaked human raised their hand, a red aura glowing from their palm. They struck down on James's chest, the monster becoming completely still.

He would be completely knocked out for a few hours, but at least that _thing_ wouldn't escape in that time. The human sat down, keeping close watch for any intruders. Hopefully no one saw that display...

 **Well this is getting confusing, huh?**

 **WE ARE ALMOST AT 100 REVIEWS :O**

 **So you guys, one more thing I need to say. I'm gonna move in the next year (maybe) or so. That means, I'll be looking at houses with my parents and updates may slow down with having to juggle school along with it.**

 **And, I have to ask you guys for some advice. My parents... don't exactly know I WRITE fanfiction. But, they think I play video games a lot. I don't know how to bring this up with them, because if I tell them, their reaction would be "Ew, you're such a nerd. It's not getting you anywhere." And honestly... I don't wanna keep this hidden forever. It sucks being forced to act like I don't write this. Because I love doing it. I'm scared that if I tell them, I won't be able to do it anymore. What do you guys think?**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 contemplates life**


	39. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39: Stringing You Along**

 _A human hand, wrapped in red strings made its choice. Continue or True Reset… Frisk tried to ease their way to continue, but the hand kept moving towards True Reset. The world began fading to nothing._

 _Footsteps echoed down the hallway… A laugh sounded through the narrow passage. Strings wrapped around their arms and legs, forcing them to move. The reset wasn't in their hands, but in the hands of this demon controlling them._

 _The orange and gold tiled floors lined the hallway. The skeleton standing before them was devoid of emotion. The red scarf around his neck sat motionless. One could tell it had a previous owner due to the wear. An unauthorized smile crept upon Frisk's face. Not even Chara could manage that look._

" _If you take one more step… you're REALLY not gonna like what happens next…" The red strings yanked Frisk forward. Whatever was controlling them enjoyed this pain. "Sorry old lady, this is why I never make promises…"_

 _The red soul flashed on their chest. It seemed to corrupt, distorted, and broken. "It's a beautiful day outside…" Frisk screamed for Sans to stop. But, the being holding them in place wouldn't allow it. "The birds are singing… The flowers are blooming…" The knife in their hand spun around as the being cockily was ready for Sans's attack. "Should be burning in hell…"_

 _Sans's hand slammed down, the human's soul turning blue in the process. Bones threatened to shoot from the ground, only for the strings to yank Frisk over them. Bones shot from the walls, leaving a narrow opening to zoom through. Of course, the demon was unfazed, guiding Frisk through them with ease. Gaster blasters swarmed the human. The being controlling them saw the pattern easily. The attack ended with no damage done._

 _The world around them began distorting. It was then when Frisk could see themselves in the void. Expecting to see Chara, Frisk looked up. They flinched in shock. All they could see through the darkness was two glowing red eyes._

" _Greetings… I am player… the demon that appears when you call its name…"_

 _Red glitches began swarming the void. "Player" was no longer visible. It seemed as if the void itself was shattering. Frisk hesitantly began walking backwards, fearing for their life. When they turned around, a demonic face met their gaze. Frisk tried to run, only for the demon to grab their arm. A red knife began shining in its other hand._

"Frisk? Frisk! This is all just a bad dream." Asriel screamed, trying to wake Frisk up.

" _And you're never waking up!"_

Frisk tried to strike the being in front of them, only for it to quickly shift to Asriel trying to wake them up. Unconsciously, they had punched him right in the snout. His head flung back from the impact, nearly bringing his whole body with him. "Asriel!" Frisk yelled after seeing that they had just inflicted damage on him. Granted, it was only one damage, but…

Holding his snout while leaning against the wall, Asriel gave a thumbs up. While his nose did hurt, he was fine. "H-Hey, it's… alright." The dust coming out of his nose was equivalent to a nose bleed for monsters. "Just… don't scare me like that."

The guilt crept on them about what they had just done. First they hurt him by pushing his friend away, then they straight up punched him. "I-I didn't mean to… I'm sorry…" It wasn't mainly that they had punched Asriel, it was how terrified they were. The tears let loose, flowing freely down their cheeks. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry." They kept mumbling, fear panging in their soul.

Asriel's brotherly instincts kicked in, prompting him to comfort Frisk. Finally letting go of his throbbing snout, he made his way over to the human, plopping himself down next to them. "Frisk, do you want to talk about your nightmare?" He offered, locking them into a hug. "It makes me feel better when I do…"

Frisk nodded, trying to recall exactly what happened. They explained the red strings seemingly controlling them. They told him about the True Reset and fighting with Sans. then they told him about… the "Player."

It was at that name when Asriel began to tense up. Although, he didn't mention anything. He knew _who_ the player was. How could Bennett have been morphed into some demon. Unless… No, he refused to think what Gaster said was true. That couldn't have been right. That… he wouldn't do that. Those things didn't add up.

"Alright Asriel, I think I'm fine now." Frisk said while sniffing and wiping away tears. Asriel nodded in understanding, retreating back to his own bed. The human turned over, one thought running through their mind. How could they tell Asriel that _actually_ happened?

It all started so vague. Frisk didn't feel any different than normal when first falling to the Underground. They thought it was only them and Chara. But… somehow, they felt as if the decisions weren't entirely theirs. It was just a feeling "Hey, maybe I should check over here. Ooh, maybe I should look at this."

He was always soooo sneaky… Not even Chara knew he was around. Then, the genocide ending came. Frisk's actions were no longer theirs, but _his._ When the time came, Frisk was barely able to spare Sans. However, this only resulted in their death. Chara had thought they were doing this for fun… but… It wasn't them.

Frisk always wondered if it was really Chara who hacked Flowey to bits. Was Chara even speaking to them in the void? So many questions riddled their mind. Now, the player had come here, unaware of what he did in his past life. Now, he was gone. No one could mess with the timeline any further. But was it for the best?

As much as the timeline being permanently safe was fine, the player was completely oblivious to what he did. He never even knew the powers of loading and resetting… With the state everyone in was right now… it wasn't worth it.

* * *

The wind was howling. Of course, they'd have to both be stranded on top of a mountain in winter. The stupid cloaks didn't help a bit. While very useful to disguise yourself in, they are not warm at all. The human shivered, internally cursing.

The monster who had collapsed near them seemed fine enough. The human saw the source. James's fur kept him very well protected. Honestly, they were quite jealous. But, they wouldn't disturb the sleeping monster. He had been through a lot already.

The demon that had threatened to take over his body was nothing to stress about. While it was deadly, it wasn't in any state to do anything. It could only scare and torture at the moment. Although, that wasn't good either. They hadn't seen anyone else who could undergo that state. Which, this was a good thing. That meant it could stay quiet until the two found a solution.

Of course, whenever this happened a high magical current could be felt. This would bring up a ton of attention. But, this had been the first time it was actually extreme. Normally it would just be a flicker of that horrifying face, then change back. But that time, it was trying to take over. The human shivered at the thought. Given enough time, maybe a year and that thing would be powerful enough to manifest itself…

A year was enough time. Both of the companions were effective in their work. Not to mention, failure had never occured between them. The only thing that concerned the human was Asriel getting in James's way… The monster had shown so much care for the monster he was supposed to just run by. It would cause a minor kink. James needed to let go of the past…

Well, they did know that if he wanted to James could spend a bit more time with the younger goat monster. The task of getting those last two shards was still at hand, but after that it would be over for an indefinite amount of time. Hopefully, that would be before the demon is able to break free… After all, searching for alternate timelines isn't easy. Not even Gaster could access one of them and he had a direct view of every single one.

The thing that worried them the most was that sometimes the timelines would just fade into nothing. Gaster had tried studying those specific ones, and came up with one final result. Something was destroying them from within… Both James and the human knew EXACTLY how that could be happening. But, that didn't explain the disappearances of alternate realities…

The human was jarred out of their spiel when the monster beside them began stirring. Finally, they could get a move on. It took a while for James to actually open his eyes, but when he did…

An old memory resurfaced. One that held both happy and sad moments played in their mind. It was… hard seeing that reminder of how they had gotten here in the first place. Finally, James realized his mistake and turned away. "S-Sorry… I wasn't… thinking."

Sighing, as they were not too phased by what they saw, they replied, "It's fine. Just keep those in check or we will have a _ton_ of issues."

"Yeah, got it…" He mumbled, looking around in confusion. "So… what exactly happened when you found me? I… blacked out."

"Ugh, I had to forcefully draw out your soul and give it a whack…" They grumbled. The fact that they were hitting their friend's soul just sickened them. That's the culmination of someone's being… If one slip up happened… well… James seemed unfazed. Apparently he was used to that. The human wasn't surprised. "Anyways, how did you keep your soul so protected? It took a lot for me to take it out…"

"Thank Gaster." He responded, playing with his ear. "I mean, I have to keep it protected or it'll come out during battle and…" He paused, pulling out the soul. "That wouldn't end well."

"Yeah…" The human mumbled. James put the soul back in his chest. They both stood there for a moment, unmoving, deep in thought. "Anyways, what now?"

"Hm?"

"Well…" The human leaned up against the entrance to a cave nearby. "You called me about us being free… and the only other shards are with Sans and Papyrus… So what now?"

"Now?" James shut his eyes. "I… haven't really thought of that myself." He admitted. He never thought they'd get this far. Ever since leaving the void, this felt years away. In truth, it hadn't taken long at all… Yet, it still felt so long ever since… well…

The conversation was interrupted when both of them could sense something around. The tingling sensation of powerful magic could be felt all over the mountain. One question ran through their minds, "What's going on?" They both said in unison.

The hooded human was the first to speak. "Well, when that _thing_ tries to take over, it emits a really high magical radius… I'm pretty sure someone would have sensed that…" They trailed off.

"Oh, NOW you tell me." Before anything else could be said, James could definitely smell sushi. That could only mean one thing… Undyne. "Hey, remember how the Royal Guard was formed?" He asked as a rhetorical question. "Well, I think they'd be the first to act if any powerful magic was used."

"Oh…. crap." Panic set in on the two. "Should we run?"

"That… wouldn't work. Even while freezing time we'd get too exhausted. They can track us down…" The explanation was simple enough. Teleporting wasn't an option either. Way too flashy… "We could freeze time and teleport but…" He could now hear the running from the distance. "I'm pretty sure Sans is lurking… He'd know where we would go."

"We could t-"

James quickly interrupted. "I have an idea… but you're not gonna like it."

The human nodded. "Okay, go for it."

"Not until you promise you'll go through with it…" He demanded, his face forming a scowl.

"But I-"

"PROMISE."

The human let out a huff, crossing their arms. "Fine… What are you planning?"

"Alright," Hearing the clanking of feet getting closer, he explained as quickly as possible, "They only know I exist. They don't know a thing about you. I'll stall for time and you get out of here."

Behind the hood, the human arched a brow. "I hate to bring you down to earth but playing hero here will just get you killed." They argued, fist clenching. "Not to mention… if they _are_ able to find out anything about you, we are both royally screwed."

James sighed. He should have known they would be difficult about this. He threw them his stopwatch. "You already agreed. And if they find that on me, we'll be dead. So, how about you take it and get out…" Before the human could protest yet again, he gave one final note of reassurance. "I'll be fine. I know what I'm doing."

With a grumble, the human readied themselves to get a start on running. "Alright, fine, but if you die I'll personally drag you from the depths of hell and beat the everliving-"

"I get the point, now go." He pointed to the opposite side of the mountain of where the now visible monsters were approaching. Nodding, the human sped off at last. Without time shenanigans, his magic would be limited. But, that was just what he needed. He pulled the hood over his head, shielding his identity.

Now that his partner was out of sight, he could let his magic fly. He stuck to his more advanced forms of new magic versus his older kind. That would… definitely make the monsters stop attacking entirely, but have horrible results.

Studying who was advancing on him, he could make out a few recognizable figures. There was Undyne, Red, Greater Dog, Lesser Dog, Dogamy, Dogaressa, Doggo, Royal Guard 01 and 02… And even Papyrus surprisingly…

This would most definitely be rough if he wanted to get away. Undyne seemed to signal the dog unit to do something. Dogamy and Dogaressa began sweeping to his left and right, not hesitating to move in. Had the magic been so strong that they assumed he was already dangerous?

Papyrus seemed to be playing support. Doggo, Greater Dog, and Lesser Dog were all defending him. Wondering what Papyrus was doing, he didn't realize the six other soldiers advancing on him.

As long as he stalled for enough time for his partner to get out of there, he'd be fine. He was sure the monsters wouldn't actually kill him. But, straight up surrendering now would be a horrible idea. The human hadn't gotten enough of a start yet… Red and Undyne were definitely going to be the toughest to handle.

He'd have to fight if he wanted his partner to get out of there. His reasons… if anyone saw the human, the whole plan would be completely ruined. Everything they worked for would be completely destroyed. So, he took it upon himself to take the bullet.

That was when they all came to a stop. The monsters were still in a formation, but not attacking at all. It seemed more of a precaution if anything… He remained vigilant as Undyne began advancing calmly. She didn't have a magical spear in her hand which was a good sign… Red was not too far behind, although it seemed she preferred to keep a distance.

Undyne removed her helmet, beginning to study the cloaked monster before her. Instead of straight up attacking, she wanted to get some information. "Hello, I'm Captain Undyne."

"James, nice to meet you…" Lying about his name would be useless. Nor would it be effective. After all, the goal was to confuse the monsters until his friend could get away. The tension was evident between the two.

"So, we are here because we got reports of massive magic usage. Care to explain what you were doing?" So… she had gotten right to the point.

"Hm?" He decided to play dumb. "Oh, sorry, I'm not the one you're looking for… Although I _did_ feel it as well…"

Undyne's eye dangerously narrowed. "Yeah, this is coming from the shady guy hiding behind a hood… You're a horrible liar." Magic whirred around the area, signalling the monsters were ready to strike at any given moment if needed.

Of course… there was no getting out of this. His friend hadn't gotten far away enough. There was only one option… Fight. That would stall for enough time… In a flash, he raised his paw into the air. Electrical currents began zooming across the grass, aiming straight for the guards.

Undyne quickly reacted, swiping green magic over where James's soul would be. She was surprised when it didn't even draw out… The hooded monster shrugged, preparing for the two dogs rushing in on his right and left side. Dogamy and Dogaressa both closed in, swinging their battle axes.

With precision, James backflipped into the air. The reaction time of the dogs was too slow, causing them to crash into each other. Luckily, the axes hadn't hit each other. Royal Guards 01 and 02 were now taking action along with Undyne. It had now been confirmed James was the source of the powerful magic.

James gave a bored sigh, slightly shutting his eyes. They were _too_ predictable. He knew exactly how to handle this. He began drawing power from within his soul, paws shining gold. His charge was stopped short when bones began trying to spear him from the ground. He had completely forgotten about Papyrus.

The bones had obviously been intending to miss. Of course, the skeleton wouldn't be too much of a threat. He was too nice. The three armored soldiers were almost on him. Seeing his attack finally charged up, he unleashed gold from his hands. He had never attempted to actually use this magic, but the results were spectacular.

Golden wolves with red glowing eyes leapt out of his paws, coming to the size of an average regular wolf. James pointed towards 01 and 02 as the wolves began charging towards the enemy. The magic attack was only designed to hurt, not kill. Well, unless he wanted to of course. But, there was no reason to kill anyone here. He was only stalling until-

His thought process was cut off my a jab from one of Undyne's spears. He pivoted his right foot, the spear narrowly grazing by his chest. With one quick motion, he channeled magic to his arm, grabbing the spear and wrenching it from her arm. It shifted to a deep red color, recognizing its new owner.

Seeing that whoever this was could manipulate other's magic, Red decided to play ranged combat. She hated using Sentinels, as they reminded her of before… but now was not the time for sentiment. Her own paw flew upward, the Royal Guardians flying up from the ground. Short red bullets began firing in James's direction. Luckily, Undyne's armor would protect her from the attacks.

Undyne slashed downward with a spear, trying to at least stun her foe. With a clash, the two spears connected. The warrior was honestly impressed. He was equally strong… Or, it was just him using magic to his advantage. Undyne noticed red bullets flying in their direction. Quickly, she let up on her attack, darting out of the way.

James was almost too slow to get out of the way. The bullets nearly hit him head on. He would have been done for if he hadn't moved backwards. His internal celebration was cut off my bombs and glowing blue and white spears, swords, and bones headed his way. Why did he even get into this mess…

He fired lightning at the bombs, both exploding all magic attacks around them. But, what he didn't know was that was the intended plan… Two massive gears shot through the smoke, both spinning with Red's magic. Being too late to react, one of them left a nasty cut on his leg, rendering him even slower. Walking was a struggle…

Raising his paw again, he fired lightning back through the smoke, trying to connect with anything. It proved futile. Finally, at the last strike he fired, it connected with one of Red's Sentinels, rendering it temporarily useless. He would have celebrated if he hadn't felt a bone connect with the back of his head. Once again, he had forgotten about Papyrus.

Slumping over, darkness consumed his vision as he slipped into unconsciousness.

 **Who is ready to get some answers from our suspicious goat friend?**

 **Well, maybe. It depends on what happens next chapter...**

 **Speaking of next chapter... IT'S COMING OUT TOMORROW. I'm actually doing a special for the Undertale Anniversary instead of an official "chapter". (Sorry TerminaTale, you gotta wait). So here is how this is going to work. You can ask any character questions and I'll keep it within Fanfiction Guidelines... Also, I'm planning a ton of alternate endings as well. So it's not just a QnA chapter... (Hopefully I actually get it out tomorrow ^-^') School has been killing me slowly...**

 **Also, I will put forth my best effort to get everything done tomorrow. Why? It's the Undertale Anniversary and It's also where we will be celebrating 100 reviews and 10,000 viewers! WTF YOU GUYS?! (I'll save the screaming for next chapter)**

 **Maybe the Sans Youtube thing will be out tomorrow for the anniversary as well? We will see if I have enough time...**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 dies while studying**


	40. Chapter 41

**Chapter 41: Broken Answers**

The battle had ended quickly. Luckily, no one had been significantly hurt. Some were only a bit winded, but nothing extremely bad had occurred. Kneeling down next to the monster, he pulled the hood off of his face. The initial shock would be expected. No one had seen any other goat-like monsters except for the Royal Family. They were very scarce…

Papyrus pressed a bony hand on the unconscious monster's head, healing any injuries he could have inflicted. That may leave a little sore, but it wasn't significant. At least, he was able to stop the small skirmish from escalating even further.

The rest of the Royal Guard began murmuring in approval. This had been Papyrus's first actual fight with anyone while in his new position, and he had proven himself. But, for some reason, he felt immense guilt creeping into his soul. He wasn't exactly sure why, but he felt as if he just betrayed someone.

Undyne approached behind him, patting his back. She could see the conflict in his head. "You did well Papyrus. Don't worry about it." The fish monster looked at the downed monster in front of her. He had definitely been powerful. There were so many questions she was dying to ask him right now. Thankfully, that was just where they'd all be heading. Questions would have to be asked.

Undyne stooped down to pick up the monster, but was stopped by Papyrus. Her brow arched in confusion before he answered. "I CAN HANDLE HIM UNDYNE." Both he and Undyne were a bit at a loss for why he suddenly decided he'd handle this new prisoner. But, no one said anything.

The skeleton hoisted the limp monster up, making sure to have him in the most comfortable position as possible. No matter who it was, he'd always try to be caring enough. While they were walking, Undyne whipped out her phone, calling Sans. "Hey Sans… I think I got who you're looking for…"

* * *

"Ngh…" James's eye slightly opened. He struggled against the temptation to fall back into unconsciousness. Something felt awfully wrong. It felt as if though he had been completely disconnected from something important.

Shrugging off the feeling, he finally was able to look around the room. Of course he'd forgotten. Papyrus had completely taken him by surprise a while ago. The soreness on the back of his head confirmed that he wasn't dreaming or anything. Finally paying attention, he noticed the room looked similar to a jail cell.

He tried to rub the grogginess from his eyes, only to feel an excess weight on his arm. Looking down, there was some sort of machinery on him. The sinking feeling of being powerless filled him. He'd seen this once, and he knew it was bad news. His magic was now restrained from being used.

He assumed that the Royal Guard had brought him here when he was out. At least he was able to get his friend out of there safely. They were probably worried sick now. Hopefully, they wouldn't come after him.

Looking desperately for any way out, he began panicking. This place was in top-shape condition. There were no options. It looked like he was stuck here… Attacking someone wouldn't work either. For one, he was not too keen on fighting anyone. Two, he had noticed his horns and claws had been relatively filed down. This was really irritating.

The cell seemed like a standard one used in prisons. The bed was hanging from the wall by chains. At least they had been kind enough to offer a mattress. If he had to guess, that was Papyrus's idea. His eyes snapped towards the spaghetti on the floor. Of course, Papyrus, even after laying the smackdown on him, would STILL be kind.

The heavy smell of ketchup reached his nostrils. Of course, Sans would have to be the first. Fear gripped his heart as he could sense the skeleton getting closer. He was completely defenseless towards any attacks. All he could do was hope and pray Sans wasn't going to do anything drastic.

He watched as the skeleton in question rounded the corner, a familiar grin on his face. Surprisingly, he didn't seem angry or anything. But, his face was completely unreadable. As much as he didn't want Sans to be angry, at least that would be a confirmed emotion. Like this, James had no clue what to expect from Sans.

He seemed to wave towards a camera mounted on a wall. Great, even if he did fight nothing good would come of it. The skeleton grabbed a chair from the side of the room, facing it towards the cell. This would be some sort of interrogation. If anyone would catch a slip up, it'd be Sans.

The two studied each other's unreadable faces. Both were incredibly experienced with this whole "show no emotions" thing. How long they both sat there was unknown. Finally, Sans decided to break the silence. "So… you're the one the prince has so desperately tried to defend…"

James's eyes narrowed dangerously. "And? Let me guess…" He casually leaned backwards. "You once again toyed with a fragile kid's emotions…"

Sans's expression faltered for a moment. "That's not the point…" Of course, the monster in the cell had noticed his slip up. "The point is you."

"The point _was_ me." He winked. "But then you blunted the point when you blunted my horns…"

"Puns are _my_ thing." Sans was sweating now. Somehow, this monster knew how to get him off track. This would be a thick skulled one… "Now, can you tell me what you are doing with powerful magic, cloaked LV, and the fact we can't remove some things from you."

"Well that's easy…" The goat monster slightly yawned in boredom. "It's called mind your own business." Taking a more dangerous tone, he sat up, glaring at the skeleton head on. "Look buddy, I have my reasons. IF you'd know what's best for you, you wouldn't butt in on it."

"Look kid…" Sans's eye sockets darkened, leaving empty voids in their wake. "All I need is some basic info. So if you'd stop dancing around our issue I'd let you out of here faster."

"It's kinda hard to do that when I don't know what this…" He made air quotes with his hands. "Problem is, when I have no idea what you want."

"Pfft." Sans gave a mocking laugh. "Really? I think you know _exactly_ what I want to know. I want to know just who and what the hell you are."

James lowered his head, shadows covering his eyes. Sans was almost expecting a dark backstory, but instead… "Nope."

"What?" Sans's eye socket twitched.

"Nope."

"Are you serious right now?"

"Yep."

Sans groaned, rubbing his eye sockets. "You do realize this isn't helping either of us… right?"

A hollow laugh escaped James's snout. "This is helping me… **Because seeing the one who sent Asriel on the brink of death getting annoyed makes my day…"**

The dead silence that followed that phrase shocked Sans to the core. The monster's eyes glared daggers that could hurt more than any magic attacks. After a long moment of the dreadful silence, Sans spoke up. "You do realize by saying that you're urging me to ask more questions… right?"

James slowly nodded, trying to contain his boiling anger for the skeleton. "I am fully aware… But I must say, you find great ways to waste your time…"

"Oh trust me kiddo, I've got all day." He winked, earning no reaction from the other monster. This was going to be a hard one to crack. From what _had_ been said, this monster seemed extremely interested in Asriel. Not to mention… he looked like the monster species the Dreemurr family was. That was _extremely_ rare. "So… let's just ask some different questions…"

James groaned, "Oh boy… is this some quiz show now?"

Sans's eye sockets narrowed. This monster was very sarcastic… It reminded him of someone else he knew… Shaking the thought out of his head, he asked a simple question. "So… who are your parents?"

"Stalker." James spat back, shutting his eyes. "I mean, I guess I could answer that question…" Sans perked up, finally believing he'd get a straight forward answer. "Well, let's just say I don't have any."

"Whaddya mean you don't have any?" Sans asked, tilting his skull to the side. "Someone had to give you that immense sarcasm…"

The skeleton had made a slight mistake. Glancing to the side, James answered, "Of course someone gave birth to me… I thought it'd be easy enough to realize the solution… but I am once again proved wrong…"

"I still don't kn-"

He was cut short with a bone chilling voice. "They're dead you idiot." Swearing he had just seen another entity in that cell, Sans decided to back off and let the monster cool off for a moment.

Some things were definitely mysterious about this monster. While trying to check him for any items, Sans had noticed he couldn't actually take anything from him. Whoever this was did not want anyone finding out anything about him. "Erm… sorry about that…" He received no response. That was pretty much expected being that he just invaded a sensitive area. "So… what makes you so interested in the prince?"

The monster's head lowered. Slowly, his hand began balling into a fist, scratching one of the bars. "I'm not 'interested' as you say…" Once again, Sans thought he was seeing things when the monster flickered to something else. Had he drunk too much ketchup? "Is… is it wrong to want to protect someone?" He asked, sinking his head lower. "I just want him to be safe."

"That's a bit sketchy." Sans mumbled. But, why did he feel so guilty? He never felt this way towards strangers unless there was a good reason. However, this feeling was immense. He'd have to get Alphys to check him out… James gave a low chuckle at the skeleton's remark. "But uh…" Sans began, much to both of their surprise. "Y'know… you may have a good reason."

At this, the monster in the cell raised his head in confusion. "What? You… actually believe me?" Hope returned to his eyes.

The skeleton was a bit confused on what to say. He had completely, accidently blurted that last part out on instinct. "Well, uh… I'd love to but…" His pupils blackened, remembering the last time he trusted someone off of instinct… Someone he wanted so badly to think he was a good person… Gaster… "But, I have to know what your intentions are. That's why I'm talking to you in the first place…"

Slowly, James nodded in understanding. "I… I guess I'll give you an explanation…" Finally, Sans was getting somewhere. "So… my reasons for protecting Asriel… That's a… funny story." A small whimper escaped his mouth. _Curse my wolf side…_ He thought to himself. "Well… I've been wandering around, aimlessly hoping I'd get somewhere… Then, I found Asriel one day." Reflecting on how lost the boy he had met a few days ago was, he continued with struggle. "From the moment I met Asriel, I saw how broken he was… He was just so lost and…"

The monster trailed off into silence, not wanting to tell what had taken place on the cliffside that day. "And what?" Sans pressed on.

"And then…" James shut his eyes. Would this be betrayal? Or would he be doing it for Asriel's own good? "He wanted the pain to all go away…"

Sans closed his eye sockets in disbelief. So, that was what Asriel was hiding from everyone. He had actually resorted to doing _that._ "Why?" Sans asked angrily, "Why did he… I thought we were doing fine with him… I thought…"

"I didn't want him to make the same mistake I did…" James continued, ignoring the skeleton's confused mumbling. But, Sans was still able to understand what the monster was saying. James stopped for a moment, letting Sans catch his breath.

Finally, after five minutes, he had composed himself enough to listen. "A-Alright… one more question then… What mistake did you make?"

For a third time, the monster flickered to something else. But, as soon as it was there, it was gone. "The mistake?" James placed his hands on his head in pain of remembering what had happened. "I… I thought I could do something on my own… I didn't let anyone else help me. Then… because of me… I lost _everything."_ He clenched his fist so hard that his claws began digging into his skin, dust seeping out slowly. "Because of me, I left everything I loved in ruins. I destroyed any hope of anyone I loved being happy… I-I can't let Asriel make that same mistake…"

Both dropped to silence. Sans had finally noticed the true nature of this monster. When seeing the magical readings Alphys had picked up, he thought this would be a Gaster level monster. But… he was just so lost. "Hey uh… Thanks for telling someone… It means a lot to us that you're trying to help…" The words of comforting had no effect on James. He wouldn't talk to Sans any farther. It seemed like he had gotten somewhere with the suspicious monster, however. "Uh, see you tomorrow I guess?"

Once again, nothing was said back. It was expected, but Sans suddenly wished that sarcastic demeanor would return. Seeing as nothing else would help, he decided to just turn around and leave. He rounded the corner, taking one last glance at that monster sitting in the cell. For some reason… he thought he looked familiar… He dismissed the thought, snapping his fingers and heading to where Undyne and Alphys were watching from cameras.

As soon as they realized in the room, their reactions were completely different. Undyne remained calm and was trying to hide the guilt in her eyes. Alphys, on the other hand, jumped fifty feet in the air from his surprise teleport. Luckily, she hadn't hit anything with her head. One thing Sans noticed was that Undyne seemed bluntly confused. Apparently watching that talk unfold had the same effect on her.

The various monitors were still active, one watching James. He still hadn't moved. The silence between the three of them was broken when Sans couldn't take the quiet anymore. "So uh… did you get anything Alphys?"

Immediately, the scientist jumped into nerd mode. Whenever giving a scientifical explanation, she'd do this… "W-Well I p-placed a censor in the c-camera so I c-could detect magic r-radiation." She paused for a moment, reviewing over the readings. "I-It seems like t-there were three powerful m-magical outbursts while y-you were in there…" She mentioned.

"Also," Undyne pitched in. "I noticed that look on his face when you were talking to him… I… it's the expression of someone who just wants to protect something. They won't hesitate to do anything if it means the safety of someone they love…" She pressed a hand to her soul. "I've felt like that before…"

"That still doesn't change that we have to keep him here…" Sans mumbled. "Alph, you and I are going to study these spikes a little more closely."

Nervously pulling on the collar of her lab coat, she answered. "O-Okay b-but shouldn't we d-do something about James to m-make sure he w-won't unleash an a-accidental m-magic attack?"

Sans glanced back to the camera. It seemed as if the monster had actually managed to move himself to the bed. A lot was on his mind from that expression… It seemed as if he was… in eternal torture. They'd have a lot to work on to figure out who this monster was. As far as Sans was concerned, he was hiding something strange that they _needed_ to find. Turning to the dinosaur monster, he thought of a plan. "Tomorrow, we can send Asriel in. I'm sure they'd be happy to see each other again…"

Alphys and Undyne both nodded in agreement. One last time, Sans stared at the monitor. The monster laying there kept giving him a major feeling of deja vu. He'd have to get this sorted out quickly or it'd haunt him forever.

 **Only a few more chapters before I'll reveal something that will basically change the plot as a whole...**

 **If you figure out what it is... shhhhhh! Keep it quiet...**

Sans: Happy Undertale Day!"

 **Rip world...**

 **This chapter was made while my sister was in my room and talking my ear off... Excuse the length/quality... Because it'll be worth it later...**

 **Pay attention to detail!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Wonders why there are always 10 QnAs on the first page...**


	41. Chapter 42

**Chapter 42: Revelation**

The darkness… it kept growing. It seemed as if the emptiness had no beginning or end. The feeling of being alone… drowned out everything else. The hopelessness of everything around him weighed like the sins of the past.

One, distinct shape made its appearance in the distance. James lurched backwards in fear, seeing that _thing_ manifesting. It stared at him with curiosity, almost finding his fear amusing. A childish laugh began sounding through the darkness, the wicked grin shining from the darkness resonating.

=D

His soul began twisting and lurching. Trying to hold it together, he reached out and clasped it close. Everything was growing so cold. James fell to the ground, trying to not let the fear take over. Everything was screaming for him to give in to this demon…

" **Child?"** James's head snapped to the source of the voice, seeing that familiar face. None other than Gaster was standing next to him, studying his expressions. He had never been more glad to see Gaster than now. " **Child… you are trembling…"**

He hadn't noticed his fear was showing. That was one thing he had always hated about himself. Masking emotions came naturally, but every now and then he'd slip up and people would figure him out… Just like long ago… "Heh… sorry Gaster." He apologized, scratching an ear in embarrassment. "I guess I was just overreacting again…"

" **Nonsense… That was nothing to be overreacting about…"** Gaster remarked with a frown. He looked off into the distance where that face had completely disappeared. It was getting stronger the longer they would avoid James's current situation. " **Are you ready child?"**

The monster glanced towards the side where Gaster was looming over him. He was slightly confused at what he meant. "Ready for what exactly?" From the sound of it, James knew he would not like the explanation he was about to get. "Don't tell me…"

Gaster slowly nodded, looking to the abyss. " **So you already know…"**

James's eyes widened. This was already seeming like a terrible idea. "No, I can't do that Gaster!" He exclaimed, fear seizing him once more. "If they know… they'll all… I…"

" **Your condition will only get worse unless you tell them everything…"** He answered without hesitation. " **I know it is not what you want… but to contain this virus you** _ **have**_ **to reveal yourself."**

He clenched his eyes shut in disbelief. This couldn't just go to waste. After all of this he couldn't just throw everything away again. "No, I can't! This is stupid. We can find another way!"

" **No… you cannot."** Gaster's eyes began glowing, one orange, one blue. " **You must remember that there are no second chances anymore."** He proceeded to lay a reassuring hand on the monster's shoulder. " **Whether you choose to let a problem overtake you is your choice, I will not stop you…"**

"I'm sorry Gaster but I-" He was stopped when the void began growing brighter. Of course, he had to be waking up now…

" **Good luck."**

* * *

The daylight was all James needed to see to know what was about to happen. The moment of truth… Sure, he had a few hours to mentally and emotionally prepare himself, but this was so sudden. What had changed Gaster's mind about all of this?

One thing was for certain, his ear had become matted due to drooling. That wasn't the best way to start off a day… Curse his stupid sleeping habits… Rubbing the grogginess out of his eyes, he sat up, trying to adjust to the light. With many failed attempts, he was able to keep his eyes open, resisting the stinging feeling of the sun.

That didn't change that he had to use an ear to cover his eyes for a long while. The stupid window outside the cell was _perfectly_ positioned for maximum sunlight rays. How convenient of the Royal Guard to make it this way. "Grade A form of torture…" He mumbled to himself. No amounts of pain would amount to be rudely awoken in the morning. Though, he had to admit he was thankful this wasn't exactly torture. They were still kind to him even when he was a prisoner.

It seemed as if he'd be here for a bit. Since it was a monday, mostly everyone would either have work or school. Although, that wouldn't exactly matter because this _was_ their job at the moment if he had to guess. _Not like he was guessing…_ But, that was fine. It wasn't like he was going anywhere either way…

He was preparing to just lie back down, but he was stopped, hearing a familiar noise. The sound of a door opening could be heard echoing down the hallway. It seemed like someone was coming to talk to him. Who would it be this time? If he had to guess, the only person who would actually be up this early was Undyne.

It was much to his surprise when he saw _Toriel_ walking towards the cell. That was… unexpected to say the least… No one else was with her. She walked in a brisk pace, that stern expression on her face. This… would be interesting to say the least. If Sans's questioning was bad, Toriel's would be worse.

To his utmost surprise, she immediately turned to the lock on his cell door. This was odd… What was she thinking? Didn't she know he could escape at any given time if she let him out? Apparently she didn't, because the cell door opened without hesitation. James stood looking from her to the door, mouth clenched shut in surprise.

He looked to Toriel, blinking again. What was she planning? Noticing his utmost confusion, Toriel finally opened her mouth to explain. "I would like to speak with you without us communicating through bars. I will not have you cooped up on Christmas Eve either young man."

How could he have lost track? Tomorrow would be Christmas. He was supposed to meet up with his friend before then, no matter what was going on. It seemed that wasn't an option. Although, he could always just make a break for it…

The boss monster before him seemed to notice his deep thinking. "Oh, and I am fairly confident you would be wise _not_ to run." A death glare formed on her face. "It would be very unfortunate if something were to happen to you…"

 _That was most DEFINITELY a threat._ Okay, so running would be absolutely stupid. Hopefully, something would take place and somehow get this stupid restrictor off. If that happened, he'd be able to teleport on out of there. "And… why exactly are you trusting me?" This seemed completely out of line for Toriel. He knew for a _fact_ she was a caring and loving monster, but if anyone interfered with her children… she wouldn't be so merciful. It was extremely odd to be treated this way.

She was quick on her toes to respond. "Well, I don't trust you fully _yet._ But! I do want to know who my son has been communicating with all this time." There seemed to be a slight twinkle in her eyes when she said that.

This, of course, was sending up more red flags. 'I literally appeared one day with Asriel. Why are you so nice?' He thought to himself. "Alright, fine…" James responded, walking to the door. "But if I run, don't say I didn't warn you." He half joked.

Toriel, on the other hand, gave a slightly dangerous laugh. "Oh you _better_ not." That was an even clearer warning. Step one was obviously DO NOT RUN! He hesitantly exited the cell, half expecting some sort of prank to take place. Of course, none of that happened. Toriel lightly patted his back, motioning him towards the hallway.

Both kept a keen eye on each other, just to make sure the other wouldn't make an unexpected move. The last thing either wanted was to be caught by surprise. Finally, they seemed to reach the front door of the building. This was the first time James had seen it from the outside. It honestly looked like your generic police station.

Turning his head away, he continued walking with Toriel. From what he could tell, she was walking in the direction of the local park. His eye wandered over to the large restrictor still tightly clamped on his wrist. It seemed fairly bulky… 'Maybe I could bash her with it?' He thought. Quickly going back on that thought, he thought again. 'Nevermind, she'd destroy me.'

The silence between them was unsettling at first, but quickly broken. "So, I don't believe we have been _properly_ introduced. I am Toriel-"

"Caretaker of the Ruins-" He tried to finish Toriel's sentence, but completely slipped up. He was supposed to say 'Queen of all Monsters.' But, of course, these stupid memories had to come and destroy him slowly.

The queen raised an eyebrow with curiosity. "You must be mistaken. That was my title back when we were in the Underground…" She paused for a moment, eyes narrowing. "I had never seen a monster like you in the Ruins… or at all."

"Well uh…" He scratched the back of his head, trying to think of an easy explanation. "I've heard some monsters refer to you as that…"

"If you say so…" She knew that he was lying. But, it was pointless to her to nudge further, being that James was super stubborn. "Although I must ask… We, Dreemurrs, have been the only goat-type species…" She hated referring to herself like that… "Our kind died out majorly during the war… so that begs me the question of how you're here… and so young at that."

James averted his eyes. This question had come up many times already… When would they figure out that he was actually masking something? Deciding to use bullcrap explanation tactics, he yawned. "I'm not all goat monster. I have some wolf in me."

"That doesn't answer my question…" She mumbled in annoyance.

"Alright, fine…" He put his hands up, not wanting to get scorched. "I literally have no idea." It was the truth! "Like, seriously… no freaking clue…"

"Watch your tongue. I would not enjoy you swearing…" She warned. James nodded in understanding, once again, slightly cowering in fear. "So… by that do you mean you do not remember your parents? Any family?"

Toriel stopped in her tracks when she saw James had frozen still. It almost seemed as if he was locked in place. She tried to call for him, but was stopped when something formed over his left eye. It almost seemed like some sort of… what did Sans call those… glitches? "Erm, young one?" She called out, inching slightly closer. Some humans nearby were beginning to stare. "Are you alright?"

In an instant, the strange white glitch had completely disappeared, James blinking in confusion. But, that confusion quickly shifted to sheer anger. "I remember them… _Very well_ at that…"

Toriel was even more confused now. Had he even noticed that there was a white bobbing thing on his head just a second ago? Even now, it seemed the humans didn't care, continuing to walk along. She thought she must have been hallucinating. "Well, who were they? I can help you find t-"

" **Nope."** This time, she was sure she saw something. It… wasn't the same as before. She could have sworn she saw a black figure standing there with a sickening red smile. "You, uh, can't exactly do that… they aren't around…"

"Oh well…" She looked to the sidewalk in shame for butting in. "I'm sorry for pushing you too far… Maybe we can talk about something else?" She offered. James nodded, now looking back to the ground. "Um… how about…" Pausing to think only for a moment, Toriel finally said, "Oh! I was meaning to ask you if you'd be fine with Asriel talking to you… It was Sans idea but I wanted to make sure you were alright with it becau-"

"Toriel, please…" He was currently pinching the bridge of his snout in minor annoyance. "I am literally a prisoner right now. You kinda don't need my consent…"

"Oh stop!" She waved a dismissive hand. "I will not have any of that talk. I'm now fully aware of what you've done for my son, and I won't have you treated like some caged animal…"

She quickly did a double take on what she just said. James, of course, noticed her mistake. "Well, I am basically an antimorphic animal if you think about it so…"

A deep red blush formed on Toriel's face. She had unintentionally made a slightly offensive pun… "Oh hush! I didn't mean anything by that…" From the looks of it, the park was finally in view. Though, she didn't say anything about it. "I just wanted to thank you for caring so much about Asriel. He hasn't been doing well lately and… you seem to have gotten into his head."

From the corner of her eye, Toriel could have sworn she saw that white haze again. But, James didn't seem affected on the outside. However, he knew fully well what was happening to him, and it wasn't good. "Hey uh… I appreciate the walk but I'm suddenly not feeling so well…" He was trying to mask the pure fear in his soul. What Gaster said had been true. If he didn't say anything… this could get serious.

"Oh… Already?" She seemed slightly disappointed. They had only been walking for a few minutes. "Young one, if it's just that you feel uncomfortable with me asking you these questions, you can always tell me to stop."

"No, really… I'm just not feeling too well…" He repeated again.

Toriel gave him a suspicious look. Finally, she nodded slowly. "Alright, I'll have to take you back then… But, Asriel and I will be visiting tonight so you won't be alone too much."

Trying to hide his happiness, James averted his gaze. "Thanks Toriel…" He could only wonder why they were all so damn nice to him. What he didn't know was the gravity of what the night would bring...

* * *

 _12 Hours Later…_

Four Dreemurrs, along with Sans were standing behind a door which would lead to James's cell. This was the only shot for them to gather any info about this suspicious monster. If anyone would actually get through, it'd be Asriel. If this didn't work… they could always just wait till later.

Although, that would no longer be the case. Toriel thought it unfit for a child to be in these conditions, and asked for him to be released as soon as there was a place for him to stay. Of course, no one had told him that yet… Toriel, however, was planning to at least hear him out before making a decision to send him somewhere…

It was only the right thing to do. Letting a child wander off to who knows where was a horrible thing to do… Even if he wouldn't like it, someone would have to watch him. Sans was uneasy about all of this. He _knew_ that this monster had some sort of significance. But, he couldn't place a finger on it. Too many pieces were missing to be sure. This was the final test to confirm his theory. Hopefully, it would work…

Before leaving, Sans had specifically given Asriel orders to do one thing. No one else knew about this. It was a secret between the two. Not even Frisk had an idea what was about to occur. One thing was for certain, it nearly guaranteed success.

Sans stole a glance to Asriel, both nodding in certain understanding. They had one mission, and they were ready to complete it. Opening the door, Asriel walked through, leaving everyone else to watch from the camera.

As soon as Asriel had entered the room, he noticed something absolutely hilarious looking. James had completely fallen asleep… With a roll of his eyes, Asriel faced the camera in the corner of the room. "Hey, can someone please wake him up?"

A green light shone on the camera, signifying the microphone was on. "Yeah, sure thing kiddo." The slightly fizzled voice of Sans spoke through.

On the other side of the bars, Asriel could hear a slight buzz. After that followed a loud yelp. Sans had actually implemented a shock function on the restrictor… Asriel silently facepalmed. Wolf instincts kicking in, James leapt up from where he was sitting, showing his fangs at the camera. "That is an insult to my species!" He yelled at whoever had triggered the shock.

The camera flashed green again. "Sorry, but we couldn't sit here and watch ya sleep all day… I bet that was too shocking for you..."

James's attention wandered to Asriel who was trying to hold back laughter. "Oh! What's so funny!?"

*Several minutes of Sans shenanigans

"Alright… so now that Sans has FINALLY stopped shocking me…" James exclaimed, eyeing the camera with killing intent. "Why are you here?" He asked Asriel, who had finally calmed down.

The goat boy readjusted himself slightly, looking down at his clasped hands. "Well, I… I just want to know more about you… we all do."

"And you all DO realize I'm a tough one to crack, right?" He asked, arching a brow. "Don't you all already know enough?"

"Well…" Asriel scratched his ear in discomfort. "I… I just want to know if you're okay. I just…" He trailed off, clutching his forehead as if in deep thought. "You're hiding so much… You keep telling me I need to talk to people more, but you need to do the same."

The monster glanced to the side, sinking into his cloak more. He subconsciously felt his chest, still feeling that article around his neck. Thank god no one could steal any of his stuff. Gaster's magic had made sure of that… Too bad it couldn't get him out of this situation. He contemplated telling Asriel now… but so many people could be watching behind that camera. "Sorry, I have things I want to keep to myself."

"But-"

He stopped short as James brought himself to his full height. Asriel could have sworn he saw the monster flickering. Although, Sans had warned him to expect this. "Asriel… I will repeat myself… I do not enjoy talking about my personal issues. Last time I did…" He trailed off. From behind the monitor, Sans was beginning to finally connect the dots. To confirm his theory, he'd need to try _one more thing._

"You… seem to talk a lot about failing something." Asriel mentioned. "Who… were these people?"

Despite what James had just told Asriel, he began explaining. "They meant… everything to me…" His paw clenched around a cell bar, the rest of his body beginning to tremble. Asriel took notice, finally seeing how he could finish this final bit of the plan. If only James was just a little closer to the bars. "Then… without any warning… I-I lost them all. Everything was gone. And here I am… being forced to relive the pain…"

Asriel was understanding now. It was all starting to make sense. But, one thing didn't match yet. He looked to the camera, nodding to it as if signalling for Sans. The camera began drooping, signifying it had been powered off. It was time for the final step. Asriel lunged forward, embracing the monster even though bars were between them. "You don't deserve that. No one deserves that!" He looked James in the eyes, finally understanding the truth. With one swift motion, Asriel typed a code on the restrictor, completely taking it off his wrist. "Now please… _who are you?"_

James stared, mind blank at what was going on. He could finally teleport away and be gone forever but… Asriel was still holding on. Now, he understood. He knew Asriel had found out his truth. The monster had found out his true face. His eyes narrowed as the camera turned back on. There was no time. In an instant, he threw himself into the void between him and his destination, dragging Asriel with him. Teleportation was always annoying.

* * *

Sans took notice as Asriel turned to the camera, nodding. It was time for the moment of truth… Before anyone could look, Sans purposefully switched off the camera. "Oops, my bad…" He fake apologized.

Toriel gave him a suspicious glare. She always knew when something was up with him. "It's alright Sans. Now, turn that thing back on please."

Sans's grin widened when the camera came back on. Sure enough, no one was present in the room. Everyone but him gasped in surprise, going into panic mode. Sans, on the other hand, was nearly about to cry.

* * *

Asriel squinted open his eyes, trying to adjust to the lighting. That was an abrupt teleport that he was slightly unprepared for. Luckily, it seemed as if the plan had worked. But, the real question was, where was he?

He took a glance around, being able to see the looming shape of Mt. Ebott. Why did it always seem that James came here? Speaking of the monster, he had not left. He was standing, slightly in front of Asriel, facing towards the mountain. "You want to know so badly?"

Slowly nodding, Asriel took a step forward. Sans hadn't told him what to expect if this were to happen. But, he'd be in for a ride of his life. A small broken grin appeared on James's face, being slightly covered in shadow. "Then… I will tell you a story…" He motioned for Asriel to follow him as he walked for the mountain.

"H-Hey wait up!" Asriel yelled, not expecting for there to be any movement from the monster.

A small way up the mountain, James stopped, not daring to face Asriel. "Long ago, a human was alone. Beaten and afraid, he called for help…" The walk continued, Asriel beginning to feel the cold crisp against his fur. "Monsters, beings whose souls were based off of love and compassion, took the human in as their own…" Asriel froze in place. He wasn't sure if he wanted to continue anymore. He wasn't sure if he wanted to get his hopes up.

James didn't care, only walking further up the mountain. "One day… the human's soul grew weaker and weaker, being slowly destroyed from all the hurt in the world… In a few days…"

Asriel was able to finish that sentence, tears beginning to collect in his eyes. "He died."

Nodding, he continued his trek upward. "The human's soul was eventually freed, only for one thing to be remembered… This human was far from innocent, having the dust and blood of many on his hands…" Asriel recoiled, not expecting to hear any of that. Yet, James didn't care. "While a hero to some, he was their demise many times… He was their destruction…"

Asriel clenched his jaw shut, trying to hard not to say anything back. He wanted so badly to prove the monster wrong, but he understood why he was saying these things. The wind began howling. Asriel noticed that they had somehow made it to the top of the mountain. This was the same exact place where he had looked at the stars with Bennett. Taking a deep breath, Asriel stood still, waiting for James to do anything.

James looked to the ground, tears beginning to flow free. Asriel heard a slight ruffle of cloth as James seemed to be taking something from his neck. Refusing to turn around, James looked to the sky at the numerous stars. "Don't you think he'd want you to let go Asriel?"

"Yes." He nodded. "But… I don't want him to become a bad memory." He found that his own tears were surfacing. He _knew_ what was going on now. "And I-I refuse to believe there isn't a way to bring him back. I know I can still save him somehow."

"Is that so?" His paw clenched into a shaking fist. "Let me ask you this then. How can you save someone who is beyond redemption? How can you be so sure he'd be willing to accept your mercy?"

"B-Because I know he will. He… he'd never…" Asriel found himself trailing off.

A knowing grin tugged on James's face. "So, even you can feel it. You can feel how many _times_ he killed you all. You can feel his sins weighing on your own neck… His errors carried over to you… because you cared too much about him."

Trying to bite back tears, Asriel remained defiant. "It doesn't matter what he did. I'd still forgive him. We are all happy now. Isn't that enough?"

"After everything… he…" The monster looking to the stars fell to the ground, unable to contain his emotions any longer. "I… I don't understand. How? After everything I did to hurt you… Why do you still believe in me?"

That was all Asriel needed to know. The truth of this monster had finally been revealed. The reality came crashing upon him, making his soul twist in joy. Was this a dream? "You… t-this whole time…"

James- no, that was a fake name. That name was just a cover up for who he really was. Getting up from the ground, he turned around, tears streaming into his fur. Their eyes made contact, Asriel seeing the red and gold of them, the same color he saw a few days ago. The heart locket, the one Asriel had put on his body before he died was fastened tightly around his neck.

But, what sealed everything was one small familiar, but distinct aspect. The soul that rested upon his chest. It was no longer a shattered mess of red and gold. The Red now protected the gold which was a smaller heart on his soul. "I-I'm so sorry Asriel."

Without offering a hint of thought, Asriel hugged his brother. Bennett recoiled in slight shock, but slowly gave in, returning the favor. The smaller one was trying so hard to not cry. But, neither could manage that feat. "I-I m-missed you s-so much…"

"Me too Azzy." He couldn't help but finally enjoy the relief of not having to hide anymore. It could all come to an end now. He was free, and now he had Asriel again. How fitting that he had chosen this place to reunite with Asriel.

"I'm never letting you go again." He cried out, a small smile making its way on his face.

"And I'm never leaving you again Asriel…" How long the two stood there never came to either of their minds. How could it have mattered? Neither worried about anything anymore. That was, until they began feeling cold drops of something hitting their backs.

Asriel flinched, feeling the cold of whatever this was. He looked up, seeing white flaking things falling from the sky above. His eyes sparkled, wondering what these were. Bennett seemed to notice his curiosity, allowing him to be free from their tight embrace. He smiled with happiness, noticing one thing. This was the first time Asriel had ever seen snow.

 **AHHHHHH**

 **IT TOOK ME MORE THAN A WEEK TO MAKE THIS AND I'M STILL DISAPPOINTED IN MYSELF**

 **So, tell me, who saw it coming? I already know two people did, but I'm curious. There were also many hints leading to this... But I'm not done with you guys yet... Because there are still some things yet to be revealed before this arc ends.**

 **Are you ready for the most feels of all time next chapter? Because it's just begun. Then start le fluff**

 **By the way, remember EVERYTHING that happened Chapter 34 and onward. Because it will be extremely important later. If you forget about it, you may get caught off guard. So, be ready =)**

 **Also, sorry if the quality of the the chapter isn't too good. I was panicking to get it done and this happened ._. BUT I WAS PLANNING THAT REVEAL ALL ALONG MWAHAHAHA**

 **Another inspiration for making him a monster was from a reviewer... (I think it was Lynja) Who asked is his monster side would take over... Could not resist... EXPLANATIONS NEXT CHAPTER!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 is so sorry for taking so long ;-;**

 **EDIT: Should I switch back to first person or keep it in third? Your vote**


	42. Chapter 43

Toriel was struck with fear. Her son had disappeared along with James. Where did the two go? "Sans? W-Where did they go?" She turned to the strangely silent skeleton. He seemed… odd. "SANS!" She barked out, finally catching his attention.

The fact that Sans hadn't begun to even act on the events that had occurred was bugging everyone. "Sans! Where is Asriel?" Frisk frantically signed. The skeleton seemed to be unresponsive. The human was fearful of what was going on with him. Sans would have already bolted out the door and traced that monster if anything went wrong…

Asgore had had enough. "Sans! Now is not the time for you to space out!"

After what seemed like forever, Sans made a response. "I can assure you he's fine Asgore." His voice seemed to quiver as if he was hiding something from the rest of them.

"Sans," Toriel gave a stern glare. Mixed emotions were swirling within her. What had happened to Asriel? "Where is my son?"

The skeleton sighed, "It's better if you don't know…" That sent red flags off in Toriel's head. Before she could say anything, he cut her off. "Frisk, you're coming with me. I need to tell you something…"

"Sans I demand y-" Asgore tried to say, but Sans was already gone, taking Frisk with him. One thing was on both of their minds. They needed to find Asriel. "Toriel, call Undyne. I'm going after him myself…"

* * *

 **AN: From this point onward… We will continue in 1st Person**

I'd never seen Asriel more happy. Through countless times I had reset, never before had he shown this emotion. Yes, I acknowledge what I did to them now. I was, and still am the player. I was the being that tormented them all, and this monster was carefree about the situation.

Asriel didn't have a clue of what I was now. He was aware that I carried the title, but I wasn't sure if he knew about what it _truly_ meant. As of now, I knew I had to tell him at some point. He was too happy right now. For the first time since coming to the surface, Asriel now saw real snow.

It was a bloody blizzard out there. Luckily, having fur had its upsides. I still hadn't exactly grown accustomed to my new form. But, I supposed it wasn't too bad. Except for the whole tail situation… That was just uncomfortable… period.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I barely had time to react. A ball of snow collided with my face, catching me completely off guard. I was not able to stop myself before falling to the ground. Asriel's giggles were all I needed to know who the sender was. Shaking myself off, I gave him the best 'Rly' look. "Really Asriel?"

Asriel covered his snout, holding back laughter. "S-Sorry! *Srnk* That was too funny." His laughter ceased when another snowball pelted him in his face. The cold sent shivers down his spine. He was obviously not expecting that either. Facing me, he crossed his arms. "Come on! That's cheating!"

"Says the one who did it first." I remarked with a smirk.

Cracking his knuckles, he picked up another wad of snow. "Oh it's on!" I tried to retaliate, but the snowball was stopped in midair by something else. I tried to contain my laughter when one of my wolves had formed itself without my command. Apparently it couldn't resist the urge to catch a snowball.

Asriel seemed extremely confused as to _why_ there was a golden wolf between the two of us. Of course, he'd never seen me use this. Sighing, I snapped my fingers. "Piper! I never said you could come out!"

"Wait…" Asriel pointed at the wolf. It tilted its head, ears slightly flopping to the side. Both of us had forgotten about our brief snowball fight. "Is that yours?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose in annoyance. "Yes… Piper is mine. I was messing around, trying to find ways to not use my signature magic… to stay hidden and all… then this happened." Shrugging, I finally pet the expectant wolf. "I had no clue she was sentient until… someone else mentioned it…" That struck an idea…

Asriel seemed interested enough at the mention of someone else. "Who was that other person? Was someone with you this whole time?"

He'd love this… Sure, my partner wouldn't exactly be happy with me, but it'd be best for both of them. "Say, why don't you meet em with me? They're nice enough."

"Erm…" Of course, Asriel could be very shy at times. Also, my social skills were completely down the drain, so I didn't realize someone would be uncomfortable meeting a possible stranger. "U-Um… I guess."

"Don't worry, I think you'll get along perfectly fine." I winked before bending down to my wolf's level. Thank god she worked like a normal one. "Hey, take us to-" My voice began glitching into wingdings, just to save the surprise for later. Gaster had taught us how to speak in that language to communicate with Gaster followers. It proved quite useful in certain situations.

The wolf seemed to stay still for a moment before barking and pointing its nose further up the mountain. The one thing I hated about Mt. Ebott was how tall it was. Even Asriel and I's star gazing spot was only three quarters of the way up. "Alright, they are this was Azzy." I said, pointing to the top of the mountain. "Walk or teleport?"

"Let's walk. I want to talk to you some more." He mentioned. It seemed like a good point. The thing I was mainly surprised about was that he hadn't squeezed out my insides with a death hug yet. Although I wouldn't lie… I dearly missed them. I nodded, beginning to ascend the mountain. "Oh, do you want this back by the way?" Asriel asked, pointing towards the jacket he was wearing.

I waved a dismissive hand. "Nah, it's going to get cold up here anyways. Your fur probably won't cut it…" My wolf began leaping up in front of us, keeping the way illuminated with its golden body. If I remembered correctly, Gaster said he ripped of the design of the wolf from another timeline… Oh well… "So, what is it you wanted to talk to me about?"

"Oh um," Asriel seemed to be shy about what he was asking. "I-I'm just wondering how you… uh…" His face flushed red. "Turned into a monster?" Apparently, he thought I'd be offended if he asked me that.

Ah, that was one very unpleasant moment of realization for me when I became a monster. "Oh boy… let me see." I placed a hand on my chin in thought. "Well, I guess I'll just walk you through what happened after…" I paused, the moment ringing in my ears. The moment I had died. "You know…" Asriel seemed to get the message, going into silence. "Anyways, after you all freed my soul and it shattered, I was able to finally quit." I left the part out about Chara. "And the timeline was too perfect for me to reset it. It would have been selfish for me to reset."

"Then… what did you do? There should only have been two options…" Asriel seemed just as confused as I was when Gaster brought up the third option.

I continued with my tale. "Before I could quit, Gaster had found us- me…" I slipped up dearly. Luckily, he didn't seem to notice. "I prepared to fight if I had to, but he did something surprising… He apologized for his actions." Pausing to take a breath, I continued again. "Course, I didn't believe him. He'd literally killed me, so it didn't matter anyways. I said that he couldn't reverse what had been done with an apology… Then, he said there was a way to reverse what had been done."

"But," Asriel interjected. "You didn't reset. What did he mean?"

"We struck a deal." I bowed my head. "He gave me a choice. I could quit and never see any of you again, or… I could destroy the Reset Button forever and use its essence to Continue."

He tried to muffle his gasp, but failed miserably. "So, this timeline is safe? We… we don't have to worry about resets anymore?"

"I-I wouldn't be too happy about that." I said with a slight shake in my sentence. He cocked his head in curiosity at what I meant. "Well, everything is permanent now. If anyone dies, we can't reverse it." Sighing, I realized I had to wrap up quickly. We were reaching the summit. "It just puts a lot more stress on everything. But, I'll tell you what you asked." Oh, how annoyed I was when Gaster spoke the next part to me. "My body was too damaged to return to. So, he brought forth the thirty percent of my soul that was monster. And this happened…"

Asriel didn't immediately respond. But, that was for an obvious reason. "I-Is that who you are looking for?" He asked, pointing towards a hooded figure looking down at us. This was the moment of truth. Would his partner be willing to go along with this.

The hooded figure glanced to me, letting their shoulders relax. "Oh thank god! I was worried sick about you!" I didn't answer, only giving a slight motion towards Asriel. He seemed to have noticed something familiar about whoever was behind that hood. They took a glance towards Asriel, and sighed. The annoyance was evident. "What is he doing here?"

I lowered my head. How to put this simply…? From the expression on Asriel's face, he seemed to be studying this new figure. "I uh… how do I put this…"

The human before me stiffened. "You don't mean he… knows about you, right?" I fell to silence, hoping they wouldn't take this the wrong way. The tension could be cut with a knife, which was kind of ironic for who I was standing across from. "He does… doesn't he?" I slowly nodded in response, the human's breath hitching in shock. "Y-You can't be serious right now."

"I'm dead serious." The tone of my voice dropped to a low pitch. "They found me and eventually… I'm pretty sure the whole thing was set up." I admitted. "Although… hiding your identity is kinda pointless now being that they're onto us."

They glanced to the side, visibly shaken. "I'm not ready to do that."

"Oh really, what are you scared of?" I placed an accusing hand on my hip. "Death hugs from cinnamon roll over here?" Before my partner could respond, I interrupted. "And don't use the excuse 'I can't face them yet', because if I'm doing it I'm dragging you down with me!"

"Your thinking is irrational." This was getting intense. I flinched at the sudden harshness in their voice. "Look, as much as I'd love to go back to how things were before, we're going to have to leave soon. And since there are no resets anymore we can die."

Asrie butted into the conversation. "U-Um… sorry to interrupt but what do you mean when you say you want to go back to how things were before? I-I don't fully understand…" He was catching on…

"Asriel! You stay out of this!" The human exclaimed, facing the monster with forced anger in their eyes. They were having an internal war with themself.

"I…" _He had finally connected the dots._ "I never told you my name…"

"I don't know why you insist on fighting anymore…" I said, getting ready for what would follow. Crossing my fingers, I hoped I wouldn't be dust after saying this. "But… we can finally come home Chara."

Their eyes narrowed. "Did you just-"

Asriel was quick on his feet, ripping off the hood of the human and revealing their face. What he was expecting came to light. He had to be dreaming. It was one thing for me to come back, but for Chara? It all just felt so surreal. "H-Hi Azzy."

Before any response could be made, Asriel wrapped his arms around Chara. And _there goes the death grip!_ At least I was not the one receiving that. "Chara I'm s-so sorry. I didn't mean to… I hurt you. I-"

Chara interrupted before he could be lost in a pit of self loathing. "Shut it goat boy." Asriel looked up, confused at why Chara said that. Of course, they were teasing him. What did I expect from a tsundere like Chara… "You're just as much of a crybaby as Bennett."

"I heard that." I retorted. Now seemed like a good time to let them do their thing. I didn't want to interrupt whatever this reunion was… Seeing as they seemed content, I left quietly. Suffer in that death hug Chara!

I walked slightly away to leave them be. As soon as I was out of view, I went to full alert. The feeling had stuck with me the whole time. The feeling of being watched. Hopefully, whoever was following me wasn't secretly listening to that conversation.

Facing the sky, I sighed. "You can come out now."

A moment of silence filled the air before two pairs of footsteps made themselves known. It didn't sound like Asriel or Chara, so that only left two other possible verdicts who would have gone this far. "Ya know… I had my suspicions…" A deep voice answered from behind me. I could easily guess who it was… "As soon as we caught ya, I tested you to see if any similarities would show… And go figures, they did."

"I figured you'd be the second to figure me out." I responded, slowly facing around to face the assaulter. Of course it was Sans. What I didn't quite expect was Frisk at his side. It took me a moment to realize what this was truly about. His pupiless eye sockets hinted towards one thing.

"I would say I'm overjoyed to see you alive and kicking but…" His left eye sparked to life, blue shining around the area. "Be honest with me, did you really control Frisk? Was that all you in the Underground?"

I wasn't surprised. He was Sans. Even while being on the other side of a screen, he knew who I was. I was the player, an abomination that shouldn't have even come into the world. Sans was a judge, and I was the sinner. "Yes." The answer was simple.

Sans looked down at Frisk who was holding onto his arm. "Go ahead Frisk. Go talk to Asriel and Chara." The human obeyed, not hesitating to get away from the two of us. "You…" He faced me with strained hatred. "I… I really just want to forget about everything that happened in the past, but I don't think I can trust you. After everything you did to them… if boredom made you kill them all, then I don't know what else you'd do now." It scared me just how terrifying he was preparing for a fight then in the game. "So tell me… what are you planning to do? Why are you helping Gaster?"

"I already told Asriel the same thing, we struck a deal. We get to continue and the resets are gone and he can come back." With defiance, I was filled with determination. "That's all he really wanted. You know that better than anyone…"

"He tried to destroy the human race! How can you justify that?"

"Us, monsters, tried to do the same!" I retorted, eyes beginning to shine. "Yet, Frisk forgave you. Humanity forgave you! He just wants to be with you and Papyrus again. And I'm planning to return the favor of bringing me back."

"He _killed_ you." Venom dripped from Sans's voice. "How do I know he won't kill? How do I know _you_ won't kill? Without resets, you perfectly well know that if someone dies, they're dead."

Despite Sans's characteristics, he always had a small weak point. "Then why are you hesitating to end me now? You have the power to kill me. My defense is low because frankly, I don't want to fight." Numbers don't lie… "I just want you all to be happy now."

"You're _still_ not proving how I can trust you!" I could tell Sans didn't want to fight either. "You keep saying you want us to be happy but I don't believe that. For someone who has seen our happy ending stripped away by you so many times, I can't afford not to care anymore." His voice lowered in volume as he composed himself. "When you died, I did care about you. I didn't think about how Gaster called you the player. But now? I can't let you hurt anyone. I want, so badly, to just continue on with our lives like nothing happened, but not like this!"

"You don't understand how right you are Sans…" My eyes finally let flames spew forth. "You shouldn't trust me. You saw it while questioning me… right? No matter how hard I try to be good, that dark side of me will always be there to tempt me…" My hand clenched into a shaking fist. "Fun fact, it wasn't me who wanted to Continue. I wanted to Quit. But, Chara wouldn't let me go." Sans visibly flinched in shock. "I know I'm a danger. I know I'm horrible. I accept all the sins that I've committed… So what are you going to do Mr. Judge?"

Sans was at a loss of what to do. The player, the _thing_ that could kill everyone and harm this happy ending was standing before him, was letting him decide. Sans did a quick check of my stats, only to see both of them significantly lowered from base stats. The decision was in his hands.

Sans glanced over me. It was merely a disguise from what I was before. It was quite odd that my LV was still at five to him. But, that didn't change what I had done. I had set the resets into motion. It was me who did all of this. Furthermore, I was helping Gaster come back. That scientist wanted the destruction of humanity. How could Sans trust me?

Then, Sans looked through the trees to see Chara, Frisk, and Asriel all talking to each other. What they were talking about was unknown, but Sans knew one thing. All three of the kids were happy. They were laughing and would be able to enjoy normal lives again when the news got out… But… then there was Asriel.

He seemed so happy now. As soon as I revealed myself, Asriel's mood flipped completely. It was finally nice to see the prince have a change in attitude. However, Sans could easily reverse that with a flick of his wrist. That was _all_ it took. So, why couldn't he do it? Was it selfishness, or forgiveness?

"The verdict isn't mine to make." Sans finally spoke with affirmity. I glanced up, surprised I hadn't been impaled by several bones. I was not too keen on feeling the dunk in reality… "Prove yourself. But, pull any funny business and you'll answer to me."

"Wait you…" I was surprised. He… he was actually sparing me? This wasn't some sort of joke to catch me off guard then kill me… right? "You're actually sparing me?" He nodded slowly, quite unsure of his decision himself. "No bones? No 'get dunked on?'"

"You know too much…" Sans mumbled, shaking his head. "Well anyways, I'll be taking my leave…" He started walking off, only stopping once to take another glance at me. "But kid, don't give me a reason to kill you. To put it simply, I don't want to." With that, he was gone.

My mouth was wide open, staring to where he had gone off to. Sans, the one who would completely obliterate you if he had to, had just spared me. What… in the hell was going on in his head? He should have killed me…

My figure began glitching constantly, replacing me with that evil being. The one who had been haunting me for too long. It was my side that only craved power. It was getting stronger every day. What scared me was that it was starting to have an influence on my thoughts severely now.

Chara had noticed and burst through the shrubbery. Frisk and Asriel both followed in pursuit, completely unaware of what had just taken place between Sans and I. My whole body was trembling. Chara approached me, putting a hand over my soul. We had to do this multiple times before. Asriel and Frisk were watching in confusion and slight fear. Chara looked me in the eyes and firmly asked, "What happened this time?"

Taking a deep breath to try to calm down, I answered. "Sans happened…" The flickering calmed down slightly, but didn't completely cease. "He… he was going to kill me, but then spared me."

Frisk jumped on the situation. "That doesn't seem right! Sans would be glad you are fine. Also, welcome back from death?" I would have facepalmed if it wasn't for my lack of movement. Frisk was always composed and never showed massive emotion. Take this moment for example, someone came back to life and they're just like 'well ok'. Well, I guess it isn't too abnormal because they did it many times as well.

I quickly answered the question about Sans. "Well…" I didn't want to scar Asriel yet. "He was talking to me about… my time as Player."

Instead of analyzing the situation and realizing I said something of importance, Asriel was fearful. "B-But… why would S-Sans attack you? He was just as sad as me after you died…"

"Asriel…" I looked for a way around this. But, there was none. The only thing to do was make a sorry excuse and explain later. "I'll explain later. Mom is probably worried sick and the Royal Guard will be onto us soon. You need to get home."

"But aren't you two coming?" Frisk asked, tilting their head.

"We…" I faced Chara who had finally finished calming me down. "We need to think about some things. We'll be around though for sure. Even if I have to drag Chara with me." I remarked, stealing a smirk at the human.

They gave me a playful punch. "C'mon, we both know who is the strongest."

"Me." The smug look on my face grew more distinct.

"Right, whatever." They said, rolling their eyes. "Look, do not tell mom anything about us. We will tell her ourselves and make it a surprise or something."

Asriel's face lit up. "But! Tomorrow is Christmas! Wouldn't that be the perfect time?"

"Smarter than you look furball." Chara remarked, eyes narrowing. "Anyways, see you around?" They readied a hand to whisk the two away before stopped by Asriel.

"W-Wait!"

"What is it Asriel?" I asked, internally groaning. I just wanted some sleep… Chara and I were answered by the signature death hug of Asriel. I still have to admit, the cinnamon roll is still too precious even after seeing everyone die before… But… that didn't free him from my joke making. "Now Asriel, save the hugs for Frisk. We both know how you two get Frisky."

Being the innocent cinnamon bun he is, he looked to us in confusion. "Wait wha-"

"You'll understand when the hormones kick in." I joked, giving a thumbs up to Chara. Before Asriel could argue further, Chara sent them away, presumably back to their house.

The human looked at me in slight amusement. "How do I even put up with you?"

"What can I say? I'm just irresistible."

"I literally give up, screw you."

 **Sassy lil Chara.**

 **I brought the tsunderes back. Woo hoo!**

 **Anyways, you may be wondering why updates are so slow. It's because my sister is using the computer for college stuff.**

 **I will be buying my own computer in a few days. When I do, I will announce something special!**

 **TerminaTale will try to be updated next because I can't have them wait too long for an update XD**

 **Anyways, I'll try to update as much as I can.**

 **Also, many of you might have noticed I have been reviewing some fics that break the rules. I review them to help them fix them. This, in turn, will bring some hate... lots of it. So, just be prepared when the hellstorm hits.**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	43. Chapter 44

**Chapter 44: That Moment When You Forget a Chapter Title...**

The overview from the top of Mt. Ebott was always breathtaking, no matter how many times you saw it. On days like these, it was even better. Snow caked the entire mountain along with the land below. I could just manage to spot where I used to live with the rest of the Dreemurrs far on the horizon. Good times…

Chara didn't know I was awake yet. These times alone were too scarce to pass up. I could reflect on everything… which normally turned into self hatred. Who could blame me? The weight of what I did still weighed heavily on my shoulders. Would it have been better if I didn't remember? Ignorance is bliss.

The sun had finally peeked over the horizon, signifying the stress of what we had to do. How would Toriel or even everyone else react? Chara would probably handle the explanation better than I would. I basically dropped it all on Asriel…

At least he was happy now. Well, he would be until he realized everything I did. How would he cope, knowing that someone he trusted backstabbed him many times. I didn't deserve them. And they didn't deserve this either. Even now, I was a danger. Things seem to retain themselves across timelines. I seemed to always be the problem.

In the beginning, I contained Asriel's soul. After that, I ran off, trying to die. The monsters came after me… They cared so much. Even after that, it wasn't finished. My soul began slowly weakening. Then… as if matters couldn't get any worse, I completely died.

It wasn't simply my soul breaking for a moment. It was _death._ The scary thing was just how peaceful it was. Was that the reason I tried to quit? No… it wasn't…

Snow began crunching behind me, taking me out of my thoughts. It seemed Chara was awake. Now that I thought about it, how did they forgive me? They were a main victim in my times as player along with Frisk. Yet, they never once really questioned me. Was it fear? Or did they really have that much faith in me?

They stood beside me, rubbing their eyes from the morning light. "So…" The grogginess in their voice was evident. "Why are you up so early?"

Chara, the character many believed to be completely genocidal, was the probably one of the nicest. Granted, they were on the wild side of things, but what the game told us was that they were horrible. "I'm just thinking…"

Yeah, thinking about how awkward this was. I kept using the game as a comparison, and it was destroying me. I knew so much about them from the lines of coding, but now I was really getting to know them. To me, my life started here. Whatever I did as player just doesn't translate as me in this world.

But… it was me. I did all of that, and it was inescapable. Maybe the emotions of a new soul influenced how I felt then. It was just hard knowing what I did… Chara's eyes squinted, seeing that my focus had drifted off. "Hey! Goat boy!" They snapped in front of my face, trying to redirect me back to reality. "What're you so worried about?"

Was I too obvious? Actually, is that even a question? Of course it was obvious. "I'm just worried about everything…"

"Seriously?" They scoffed. "Is that it? You're so worried that Toriel isn't going to give us a ton of motherly love?" Resting their hand on my shoulder, they continued, "Listen, you have nothing to worry about."

"Oh, I have _plenty_ to worry about." There were many things on my mind that they couldn't quite read. "She may be accepting, but… I don't deserve them."

Chara was not amused with me. "Are we really doing this again?"

Pushing their hand off my shoulder, I confirmed the thought. "Yes, we are." I was bluntly not ready for this. "I'm just scared. When they know the truth… they'll never forgive me."

Of course, the human next to me would have none of this. "Alright really?" They placed their hand on their hip, giving me a scowl. "If I've learned anything from knowing you this long, it's that you tend to focus on the negatives."

"Chara-"

Pressing a hand over my snout, they gave me a playful glare. "Oh no you don't! I'm not finished." It's still very awkward using animal-like nouns when talking about my new body… Still something I had to get used to. "Listen, you are talking about yourself like you haven't done anything good around here. You brought Asriel back to life, something Frisk and I could never complete. I'm back now, making that the second person you've brought back. You even indirectly caused humanity to accept monsters more willingly by… dying."

"Because THAT was comfortable." I exclaimed, giving a slight laugh. Why was Chara always right…? They had noticed, giving me a look that said, 'You ready or what?' "Alright FINE! Let's get this over with…"

"Oh FINALLY!" They yelled, grabbing my wrist. and pulling the hood of their cloak over their head in one motion. "Precious goat cinnamon roll is waiting on you!" I had no time to react before I was being dragged down the mountain.

* * *

The two heads of Frisk and Asriel were staring intently at their bedroom clock. Toriel had told them they were not allowed to wake her up until seven in the morning had hit. The clock was a mere two minutes away.

For Asriel, this was his first Christmas on the Surface. He was excited for this. Frisk, on the other hand, had never once had a Christmas with their monster family on the Surface. The timeline would always have to Reset before then. And now… it seemed like the timeline could finally be perfect.

The last night was filled with many events. Sans had informed them about his and Asriel's plan after he had teleported. When Frisk saw me, the golden furred monster, again, they knew something was deadly familiar. It was the heart locket around my neck that proved everything.

The dots hadn't been fully connected in their mind yet, but they had an idea of my correlation with the title player. It wasn't really clear, but they had a suspicious feeling. Hopefully they'd be able to understand it better when I talked to them… if I did… The reason they were so suspicious was because of what they saw. I was flickering between that _thing_ they saw in their dreams. Asriel had noticed too…

The goat boy himself hadn't said anything about it. But, that should have been expected due to the fact I was now going to be part of his life again. Of course his logical thinking would be blocked by emotions. Frisk couldn't blame him, they were happy as well.

Somehow, even Chara had a body of their own now! They weren't corrupt at all, and honestly were extremely laid back. They _had_ grown considerably since the times of ghost form Chara. It was really nice to see Chara genuinely happy.

They had explained the events leading up to this point to Frisk being that Asriel had heard it from me. Frisk was shocked. It was one thing for us to trust Gaster, but now the Reset Option was completely destroyed. Sure, everything was permanent, but Frisk wouldn't want to have it any other way. They could finally live their life.

The beep of the alarm clock told them it was time. The first ever Christmas with the Monsters could begin! Asriel was one step ahead of them, leaping from his bed with agility. He cast a glance to the human who was just as eager as he was. "C'mon Frisk! Let's go get mom!"

He bolted off down the hallway, leaving Frisk trailing behind. "Asriel! Wait up!" Picking up the pace, Frisk was able to catch up before he reached Toriel's room. Both heads peeked in, seeing if she was in her bed. Much to their surprise, the bed was empty. This was odd… "Maybe she woke up early?" Frisk asked, looking towards the stairs.

Asriel shrugged in response, walking towards the flight of stairs. Now that they looked, lights were on down there. The faint smell of Cinnamon-Butterscotch pie met their nostrils. It seemed Toriel had just made more preparations before they got up... Both Asriel and Frisk stood at the top of the stairs, trying to catch a small glimpse of whatever presents they could have gotten.

No luck was granted. Wasting no time, the two began thundering down the stairs, eager to open any presents they could have been given. Before they could reach the bottom, a slightly amused Toriel blocked their way. Stopping in their tracks, Asriel and Frisk realized what was going on. "Now now children, we can't have presents without Christmas pictures!"

The two children yelped, wishing they were back upstairs. Asriel was pulling on his ears in dismay at what Toriel had told him. Frisk's face turned into three lines. They were not liking this at all… Out of all the things that could happen first… the most torturous process began first. "Mom! Pleeeeease can we do it after?" Frisk pouted.

"Well…" She pressed her hand to her chin in thought. "I suppose since everyone is still making their way over here, I _may_ be able to delay for a moment."

Asriel quickly reacted with a, "Yay!" Frisk had to contain themself from getting overwhelmed by cuteness overload. Toriel stepped aside, allowing the two to have passage to the living room. They charged forward, being greeted by stacks of presents under the Christmas Tree.

Toriel was a spectator, watching as the two pushed through the boxes, searching for the ones with their names on them. Most were assigned to some of their friends, so she stepped in. "Now my children, please do not open them just yet." Seeing the disappointed looks on their faces, she hastily explained. "We must wait for the others to get here. If you'd like you can open that blue one right there." She said, pointing to a slightly large blue box.

"What could even be in here?" Asriel wondered, peeking around the box. It seemed so big for a present… Wait a minute… "Wait, Frisk, open the box up."

On command, the human loosened the lazily put on ribbon. That could only mean one thing… Frisk flipped open the box, peeking inside. Just as expected… "Sans… what are you doing in a box?"

"What do ya think? I really thought outside the box with this one." Sans lazily replied, half asleep in the present.

Toriel giggled from the hallway, trying to focus on watching for the rest. Asriel turned his head away with a groan at the obvious pun. However, the smile tugging at his face betrayed him. Frisk didn't even make an attempt to muffle laughter. At least Sans seemed comfortable in the box.

The oven in the kitchen began beeping, signalling the pie was done. Toriel responded, leaving her post at the door to check on it. Right when she had left, a loud knock on the door sounded. "Children? Can you please get that?" Toriel called.

Not knowing who to expect at the door, Asriel pulled it open. I hadn't arrived yet… Undyne stood at the door, carrying a tired Alphys. "Sup punk!?" She ruffled his fur, much to his dismay. Luckily, the Royal Guard hadn't been summoned last night. Sans had called it off saying to not worry because it was Christmas Eve.

"Hi Undyne." Asriel shyly waved, hoping she wouldn't try to suplex him unlike earlier… experiences.

"UNDYNE? HAVE YOU SEEN SANS?" Papyrus called from outside. Apparently Sans hadn't notified Papyrus about sneaking into a present…

Frisk peeked their head out the door as Undyne walked in. "He's in here Papyrus!"

"UGH," Papyrus marched in, seeing Sans laying in the half open box. "SANS? WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU THINKING?"

"Outside of the box…" He reused the same pun, earning an internal scream from Asriel.

"BUT YOU'RE INSIDE THE BOX!"

"You've really got me boxed in bro…"

"SANS!"

Frisk couldn't help but giggle at their antics. Although, Sans's puns seemed a bit forced on his side. They wondered what could be so wrong… The front door opened again, revealing Asgore trying to fit through. They were honestly surprised he was allowed in here. But, Toriel _had_ forgiven him considerably ever since he protected them with his life.

"Howdy everyone!" He exclaimed with a wave of his massive hand.

Asriel was the first to react, hugging his dad in a tight grip. "Hi Dad!"

Frisk began wondering how everyone would react. Sure, they probably wouldn't believe me at first glance because of appearance, but Chara was a different story. Maybe everyone should have planned this out better… Oh well, too late to change now. Other than us, Mettaton and Napstablook hadn't shown up yet. Apparently they'd swing around later because of flight time. But, it shouldn't take too long… Mettaton was going to have a field day with this case when we showed up…

Asriel was practically begging Toriel to let them open presents. "C'mon mom pleeeaaaase! Everyone is here!"

"Oh darling~" The front door was kicked open by a heeled boot. Frisk's eyes widened at the sudden entrance. Mettaton wasn't even supposed to be here yet… "Did you _really_ think I would let you all start the fun without me." He struck a dramatic pose as Napstablook phased through the wall as to not get in the way of Mettaton.

Toriel poked her head out from the kitchen, a scowl on her face. "Mettaton, you are repainting that door…"

The robot eyed the front of the door where he had kicked it. A fine bit of paint had been scraped off on accident. "Of course darling."

Alphys had finally woken up completely when Mettaton bashed the door open. "U-Um Mettaton, I h-hate t-to ask but, h-how did you get here?"

"Those flying capabilities you put on my NEO form really help out with air travel." Mettaton mentioned, striking yet _another_ pun. The pupils of Sans were staring into his soul from the box… "Blooky and I decided to fly to avoid human's _awful_ airport service." You could literally see steam coming out of his ears. "That place is so unsanitary! I cannot even believe a place like that is allowed to exist!"

Rolling her eyes, Toriel motioned to the presents. "Well, now that everyone is here… I guess we can open presents."

* * *

"Whatever you do, keep your hood up." I muttered to Chara under my breath. The snow crunched beneath our feet, making me cringe at the noise. I didn't want to attract too much attention to Chara. If anyone saw us before we got there… that'd be a problem.

At least the neighborhood hadn't changed much. There were a few new houses here and there. I was quite literally getting cold feet about this. How could Chara remain so calm when we were about to drop all of this information on everyone? "Yeah, whatever." They huffed back.

We continued down the sidewalk in silence. We were maybe a minute away now. Just _one minute_ from our lives changing… I just couldn't think of a world where everything would be the same again. They'd find out at some point. And when they did… I didn't know what I'd do. Chara wouldn't allow me to back out anymore. What was done was done… and I could no longer change it.

As we rounded the corner of the street, it came into view, my old home… Fear finally tugged at my soul violently. What was I going to say? What would be the best thing to do… It wasn't everyday two of your children come back to life after you watch them die. Then again… Toriel was already experienced with that happening.

Now that I thought about it, how would she react? I wasn't awake when Asriel came back. Would she accept me? Or would she think I'm lying… "Hey Chara?"

The human looked to the side, "Yes? What are you so scared about now?" _Reading me like a pro as always…_

"N-Nevermind." I stuttered out. There was no changing what was about to occur. The doorway was inching ever so closely… I was getting terrified. From the look on Chara's face, they finally showed they were slightly worried too.

Here it was… the moment of truth had finally arrived. We stood in front of the door, looking to the other. "You ready, Bennett?" Chara asked me, raising their hand to the door.

"I guess it's now or never…" I shut my eyes, waiting for what was to come next. Chara slammed their fist down on the door, calling the attention of everyone on the other side.

From the other side of the wooden door, we heard voices. "I wonder who that is…" Toriel's voice was the first to talk. _Please don't let Toriel answer._ I crossed my fingers, hoping I wouldn't have to face her yet. Anyone but Toriel!

My requests were answered when the door swung open, revealing Asriel looking up to us. I gave a small wave as his mouth formed into an 'oh'. It seemed he wasn't quite ready for this either. "Hey mom!" _God dammit Asriel!_ "There are some people who want to meet you!"

"Well, who am I to deny a guest?" Toriel spoke without even needing to process the situation. "Tell them to come in."

Asriel ushered us to the inside. When I walked in, I noticed just how bad of a plan this was. Literally _everyone_ was here… Even Mettaton and God forbid he gets this on his hands… It was already bad enough when he found out about Asriel being resurrected.

Papyrus was the first to recognize me. Not as my _real_ self, but as my little monster self. "OH! GREETINGS SLIGHTLY LARGER ASRIEL!"

It was at that exact moment, we knew, we should have thought of a better plan. Undyne leapt up from the couch with a "NGAAAAAH!", materializing a spear in the process. "YOU!" Curse stupid horns for making the hood not cover my face well…

"Undyne…" A voice cut her off from whacking me with a spear. Toriel was tapping her foot expectantly. "What did I say about spears in the house?"

The fish monster looked to me, then back to Toriel. Wordlessly, she pointed to me, trying to make Toriel understand that there was someone who had kidnapped her son momentarily. Toriel would have none of it. Undyne hesitantly put the spear away, letting it dissolve into thin air.

The monster who once was my mother eyed me suspiciously now. "Hello James, what brings you here?"

I was genuinely surprised I was not getting attacked yet. Chara hadn't taken off their hood and multiple monsters in the room were looking at them with curiosity. Luckily, Asriel stepped in for this one. "Well, mom, you remember how I went missing last night?" Unsure of where this was going, Toriel nodded. Looking to the side, I could see Chara preparing to take off the hood. "Um… he told me some… things. Along with… uh…" He scratched the back of his head. "I-I honestly don't know how to say this…"

Frisk stepped in. "What he's trying to say is we met some people on the mountain. When Sans and I found Asriel, we noticed something." They motioned to Chara to take off the hood. The human obeyed, revealing their face to everyone in the room.

Toriel and Asgore flinched backwards, as if they had just seen a ghost. "I… this isn't happening…" Toriel was the first to speak. Tears had already made their way down her face. "I… thought I'd finally be able to move on but… it appears I was lying to myself." Chara frowned, seeing what was going on. She thought she was seeing things.

"Toriel, I…" Asgore tried to say anything to comfort her, but there was nothing to say.

"Hey Tori?" Sans spoke up through the sobs of both Asgore and Toriel. She looked to him, wondering what was so important that he had to say. "Knock knock,"

"Sans stop." She muttered.

"Please?" He asked, sincerity in his voice.

"F-Fine… Who's there?"

"Your children."

That was all she needed to know Chara was really there. The plural didn't seem to affect her. In one motion, both Asgore and Toriel had gripped Chara into a death grip, not letting go for one bit. Mutters of apologies and words of joy sounded through the room. Chara cast me a glance that yelled, "Help me!"

I simply shrugged, deciding to stand there awkwardly. Casting a glance to Sans, I noticed that genuine smile was plastered on his face. He was actually happy for Chara. But for me… When he caught my gaze, his smile weakened. I could tell from his expression that he was at war with himself. Who could blame him? He had told me himself. He wouldn't let everyone die because of his emotions.

At least he gave me a chance. "Hey mom, dad, um… if you could let me go that'd be great." Chara talked through being muffled by the hug.

Hesitantly, Toriel and Asgore let them go. It was then when their attention was diverted to me. _They didn't recognize me…_ "Young one…" Asgore began, kneeling down to my level. "You have no idea how overjoyed I am that you brought Chara to us safely… I am forever in your debt."

 _Oh boy, classic Asgore being overdramatic._ "Oh, that's the other thing." Asriel interrupted the moment. It seemed his confidence had returned. "Chara… wasn't the only one who came back…"

That was when something in Toriel's head clicked. She looked down at me with attentive eyes, as if trying to find something that she thought was there. "No…" For the second time within minutes, she was being struck with disbelief. "Asriel, please tell me… who is this monster?"

"You know…" Chara interrupted. "It should be _really_ obvious at this point but… I'll confirm your suspicions for you." Before I could react, Chara placed a hand over my chest. On command, my soul was withdrawn, being shown to everyone in the room.

While it didn't look the same, it contained the same memories. My entire existence was now on display for everyone to see. They knew about my identity in this world, but not the last. "Well, I guess there is no avoiding this now…" I finally spoke, facing everyone else. "On the downside, I now look like cinnamon roll over here so mmph-"

Toriel had already wrapped me into her warm embrace. "You… hah hah… You are one _interesting_ child… aren't you?" She said through tears, not letting me go. "I-I don't u-understand h-how you are even here… I-I watched you die…"

"Maybe we can come to a compromise!" I offered, trying to breathe in the tight hug she had trapped me in. "Let me go, and we'll explain."

"A-Alright, fair enough my child." Her grip loosened, finally letting me breathe properly. It was then when I realized that wouldn't be happening for long. Nearly everyone else who knew me was about to do the same as Toriel. I wouldn't have it any other way…

…

Except for that I couldn't breathe but whatever.

 **AN: WHO IS READY FOR FLUFF? FLUFF! FLUFF! FLUFF! FLUFF!**

 **Then I'll drag you down into the deep depths of my feels pit later but... we should have a good while before I rip your heart out...**

 **Also, remember that Sans Youtube channel thing? I found out something... It breaks the site rules .-.**

 **So, I'm not doing that anymore sadly.**

 **Another thing, my sister has been using the computer, not letting me use it at all... Which is why updates have been so slow. I was GOING to buy the computer today, only to realize the price went up $100... FML. SO now I'm trying to find another to hopefully be able to update regularly. Thanks for being patient!**

 **Reviews are encouraged!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out!**


	44. Chapter 45

**Chapter 45: LET LE FLUFF BEGIN!**

Joy, happiness, relief… all of these I had felt that day. They had accepted me again like nothing was wrong. Between words of apology and hugs, there was still one thing lingering on my mind, guilt. The prominent emotion I always felt around them.

I loved them all. They deserved to know the truth. But, they were so unbelievably happy right now that I couldn't bring myself to ruin that. Technically, my presence here already had… It just seemed too good to be true. These monsters had no idea who they were so happy to see again… They were happy to see the one who killed them like toys in a game.

Sitting in a pit of self hatred wasn't doing me any good. If they really wanted me to stay, I'd at least try to make up for what I did all I can. Sure, the actions I took are unforgivable, but there is no reason to just sit around and wait for judgement to pass.

From the corner of my eye, I barely had time to catch something white hurdling my way. A smirk crept onto my face. Old habits die hard. Before reactions could be made, the violator of personal space already had me in a deadlock. "Asriel… you will be the death of me one day." I ruffled his fur as he had his arms wrapped around me.

Giggling, he loosened his grip and looked at my face. I'd never seen him more happy… "And if I am? You'll probably just find ANOTHER way back." His expression shifted to one of wonder. "Seriously though! How do you keep doing that?"

"The world is PUNishing you with my puns." The pun was very obvious as I gave him a playful nudge.

That was when Asriel began regretting his life choices again. His eyes narrowed to slits in unamusement. "If there was one thing I didn't miss, it was the puns…" He groaned, but he accidently let a small laugh escape before noticing his mistake.

Arching a brow signified I had noticed. Asriel's eyes widened in shock. "Oh you LIKE my puns Asriel?"

"No no no no no!" He exclaimed, clasping his ears down in desperation. "You heard nothing!"

As much as I wanted to torture him more, it seemed I was going to be the one tortured. Chara had finally been spared from Toriel and Asgore. They were walking over to me with a sick smirk on their face. "Guess whose turn it is to get smothered by Toriel!" They exclaimed while elbowing me.

My ears drooped down. _I am still NOT used to talking like that…_ "Please spare me…" The plea was unheard as the human grabbed my wrist to drag me over to the awaiting goat monster.

Before we reached her, I was jolted close to Chara as they whispered something in my ear. "Listen, I've already explained most of the story. Just avoid specific details that we _can't_ be revealing."

I nodded in silent understanding, preparing to approach Toriel. Honestly, I'd rather keep a distance, but she wouldn't allow it. Instead of hugging me however, she kept her hands clasped together in front of her. It was almost as if she was… guilty. The look on her face was all I needed to confirm the theory. How could I completely gloss over the fact that she was still in guilt from letting me die…?

Had she cried while talking to Chara as well? On second thought, what kind of question is that? Of course she did… I felt bad for her. She had to watch her children die too many times… The woman kneeled down, seemingly studying my face. The intense glare made me take a half step backwards.

I'd never seen that look of pure joy in her eyes. Pure, teary joy… "I… I do not understand how you are still here my child…" She was still in disbelief. Brushing back my fur on the side of my face, she began crying. "I-I should… have protected you." _If only she knew how many times I watched her die…_ "If you cannot forgive me for f-failing as a mother… then I will not blame you."

"Sorry mom… but I didn't come back for nothing…" I responded, wrapping my arms around her neck. Did she really not believe in herself? For a moment, I could have sworn I was hugging someone else…

" _Promise me that you will tell me if anything is wrong."_

" _Don't worry. I will."_

My thoughts were rerouted back to Toriel when I noticed just how much she was crying. The tears were matting her fur as she tried to hold them back. "You… hah…" Toriel was forced to pause to catch her breath. "You really are a _strange_ child…" _Stranger than you'd ever know…_

Finally, after what seemed like an eternity, she let me out of her embrace. This must have been extremely emotional for her. For me… well… I was struggling to control the wetworks myself. "Uh mom… I think Frisk and Asriel are getting anxious to open presents now." I just needed a moment to step away… Keeping emotions in check had never been a strong point for me.

"Ah, I almost had forgotten about that…" Placing a paw on the side of her head, she let out a half hearted laugh. "So much has happened this morning that I seem to have lost my mindset…"

"OH! IS TORIEL FINALLY DONE TALKING TO YOU HU- I mean… UM… SLIGHTLY LARGER ASRIEL?" The shrill voice of Papyrus cut me off from leaving the room. This new title was honestly quite amusing.

I turned to the side to look at him face to face. Although, from behind him I could see Sans keeping a sharp eye socket on me… "Yeah, I'm done Papyrus."

"OH GOODIE!" He seemed to twiddle with his thumbs in anxiety. "W-WELL, I WANTED TO APOLOGIZE FOR WHACKING YOU IN THE HEAD WITH A BONE…" Oh right… forgot about that. "I JUST WANTED TO STOP THE FIGHTING BETWEEN YOU AND UNDYNE."

"It's really fine Pap-"

"NGAAAAH!" *Spear of Justice intensifies* Why must there be so many insane monsters trying to talk to me at once... Undyne wrapped me in a headlock, giving me a large noogie on my head. Thankfully, she minded the horns. Although… now I know why Papyrus hated being noogied by her. "You little punk! You better tell me just _how_ strong you really are!"

"Undyne," Wheezes came out of my mouth in desperation to breathe. She had a tight grip. "Air."

Realizing what was going on, she quickly released her death grip on me. "O-Oh, sorry." She scratched the back of her head while a bead of sweat dripped down her head in slight embarrassment from the outburst. "But! You and I need to have a _real_ sparring match one of these days! I mean, c'mon! It's not everyday someone comes back from the dead." My right eye narrowed as I realized what she was about to say. "It sounds like something ripped out of anime."

Before I could make a comment about how much I despised anime, I bit my tongue. "It wasn't all me… Chara and I had some help but… it doesn't really matter now I guess…"

"OF COURSE IT MATTERS!" I had to sidestep to avoid her grabbing me for a suplex. Thank god for enhanced soul dodging skills…

"No… it really doesn't."

"Can we please all just calm down?" Chara groaned from the other side of the room. "Yeah, cool, your dead children/friends are magically alive. K, case closed."

A snicker came from Sans at the mature atmosphere from Chara. He honestly hadn't expected this from them… "I'd like to agree…" He said with a yawn. "I'm just gonna retreat back into my box for a sec…"

"SANS NO!"

"Sans yes…"

I decided to retreat to the back of the room. Asriel and Frisk were already giddy to get their hands on whatever presents were under the tree. Surprisingly, it seemed that Sans and Toriel had _actually_ teamed to get the two children gifts… along with Chara and I. Wait a second wha- I cast a glance over to Sans who gave me an amused smirk.

Asriel was the first to tear through his present via claws. He had chosen to get Sans and Toriel's out of the way. They assumed it may be a prank because Sans is just Sans... Toriel had already walked Chara and I's presents to us. Ours were only from Sans though… But, that was expected because Toriel couldn't have known we'd show up. I had the sick feeling some destructive thing would come from this. "Bets on if it's a pie to the face?" I placed the bet to Chara.

"5 G says it is." They replied, shaking my hand for the bet.

We opened ours, slightly surprised at what was in them. Smugly, I beckoned the gold from Chara's pocket as they placed it in my paw in defeat. Apparently all four of us had just received new winter jackets. That… actually also seemed like something both of them could do.

"Wow!" My head snapped up from mine when Asriel had said that. Cuteness OVERLOAD! His was a classic green with a golden delta rune on the back. Frisk's was a similar style, blue with a purple stripe wrapping around. Glancing over to Chara, I saw theirs was red with a black dagger on the back. Suiting... Mine was similar in fashion to my old one. It had an image of a red delta rune on the back. The jacket itself was a dark black once more.

But, the thing that stood out about our individual jackets was the front. Near where your chest would be on them, there was an image of our soul. That raised a question on how Sans knew what Chara's soul looked like in the first place. Frisk probably told Sans from past experience.

The skeleton himself was standing smugly in the box while everyone looked at him with astonishment. No one thought Sans would _actually_ get anyone anything. Seeing the looks, he gave a shrug, "Whaaat, I can be serious every once and awhile…"

"When did you have time to get them anything Sans?" Toriel inquired, arching a brow.

Before Sans could answer, a soft voice interrupted on accident. "Oh… I should have gotten them something too…" There was a ghost, otherwise known as Napstablook, currently apologizing for something he couldn't have known about. "Oh no… I interrupted again… Oh no…."

Everyone in the room simply gave each other a look that said, "What just happened?"

"A-Anyways…" Toriel tried to hide that she was so confused as well. "I think Sans should open the next one for somehow handling the children…"

"Aw, thanks Tori." Apparently he had been re-promoted to calling her 'Tori.' "Hm…" The skeleton levitated a small present to his hand. I still found it quite amusing how he was in the box. His eye flared blue for a split second as a bone cleared a slash in the wrappings.

It was at that exact moment…

Papyrus knew…

We had destroyed his chances of living.

"NO! YOU DO NOT NEED A JOKE BOOK SANS!" Papyrus yelled, scrambling to get it before he got any ideas.

Sans seemed to be crying tears of joy while reading. The puns were too much… "P-Paps, this one s-says pfft."

"SANS NO! THAT'S SO DIRTY!"

"My people need me Paps…"

Asgore, who could see the book from where he was standing, grimaced at what he was reading. "Tori...el? Are you sure this is healthy for Papyrus?"

"NO! IT ISN'T!"

Mettaton's robotic voice along with Alphys's squealing caught our attention. As soon as Undyne saw what was under the tree, she joined in. I was confused before seeing the present that was from Asriel to Frisk… "OTP! OTP! OTP!"

The precious goat child began covering his face with his ears. "NOTP!"

"A-Admit your feelings!" Alphys exclaimed over my chanting.

"S-Stop!" _The red blush is over 9000!_ His face wasn't pink, it was RED. "A-Anyways… I m-made this for you Frisk."

"OH MY!" Mettaton's eyes turned into stars. "It seems that our young prince has a crush on the ambassador! What a plot twist!" The robot whistled to where Napstablook had disappeared. "BLOOKY! GET THE CAMERA!"

Asriel shook his hands and head in tandem. How was he getting more red…? "N-No, that's fine Mettaton. I-I don't need this to be documented."

"You can't hide what's inside!" My muffled scream came from our side of the room. Chara was trying to restrain my shipping comments before they went too far by covering my snout with their hand.

Napstablook came back into existence with a recording camera in his hand. "W...What do you need me to record Mettaton? Oh no… I don't know what to record I-"

"Nonsense Blooky!" The robot idol struck a dramatic pose for style. "Just focus on our small adorable prince over there and I'll take it from there!"

Trying to hold back her laughter, Toriel waved a hand to catch the robot's attention. Mettaton heeded the gesture, but waited for Toriel to restrain her giggles. "Now now Mettaton, we can hold off on embarrassing him for later."

The robot seemed disappointed before his face lit back up. "Ah! You are right darling~. How can I embarrass the prince if it isn't live? We must postpone this revelation for later my dear prince." None of us realized a small, unnoticeable camera had appeared from his shoulder blade.

"We're just friends!" Asriel insisted, but his blush was still betraying him. We can all hear that lie in your voice… Getting it over with, Asriel handed Frisk the present which was on the smaller side of things. "H-Here Frisk."

Alphys and Undyne had stars in their eyes as they watched in anticipation as Frisk unwrapped the present. The suspense was killing us all. One thing I could sense of sure in that box was something magical. It definitely must have taken him a lot of time and magic to make whatever was in there. Of course, this is Frisk we're talking about. Asriel would do anything for them… No matter how much he denied it…

Frisk pulled a chain out of the box. _Oh, this was such an Asriel thing to do._ Keeping it original I saw… The human gave a warm smile, seeing a red heart locket dangling from a golden chain. "Azzy, you didn't have to!" The joy in their voice betrayed that notion. They were ecstatic about the locket.

"I-It was nothing… I'm not too creative on g- AGH!" Frisk seized his blabbering with a diving hug to the goat-boy. It took every fiber in our bodies to not squeal from the cuteness. Much cute, 10/10, would hug again.

"I love it Asriel!" They seemed to ignore that Toriel was recording this whole time… Well, it was their first Christmas so… I'm not sure what I was expecting. This would be good blackmail material.

Asriel seemed to not know how to react. It was just that he was so glad they liked it. He was so scared that they wouldn't be happy… On second thought, he should have known they'd be happy no matter what. Seeing that Frisk was content, Asriel gained a burst of confidence. "Open it! I put something in the inside!"

This was what I was curious about. How much effort had Asriel put into this present? I knew he was a cinnamon roll, but now I was questioning just _how much_ of a tryhard he was… The human quickly revealed the inside of the locket. It seemed like some glowing ball was floating on the inside. Definitely some form of magic in there. "Is this…?"

"Yeah!" The goat child perked up, "I wanted to try to put some magic in there for you… Just in case you ever needed it." A light blush formed under his fur. "I-It isn't much… But… I just wanted to give you something that I made myself."

Somehow, the world found a way to make this even more cute. Frisk reached up to Asriel's nose, and booped him right on the snout. Chara, for the first time ever, they let out a cuteness overload squeal. I never thought I'd hear that. Although, I can't be saying anything, because I did it too. Asriel jolted back, an embarrassed bleat escaping his mouth.

The dead silence that followed just made me want to break it with a ship comment. Hell, even Sans was dying. The skeleton buckled over in laughter, falling back into the dark depths into the box. "Wait wait wait…" Chara broke the silence, facing me head on. "I want to test something…"

Oh sweet mother of karma… The human didn't hesitate to give me a firm boop on the snout. I was not expecting it! The results were unable to be contained. The same bleat sound came out of my own mouth. My eyes widened in complete shock as I covered my snout in disbelief at what that sound was…

Yet another loud thud was heard in the direction of Sans. The skeleton's strained wheezes were still heard from inside that damn box. It took everything that everyone else had to not do the same. A hand was the only thing we could see over the top. "I- HAH! I would make a pun about that but… pffft!"

Chara was dying from trying to suppress the laughter. "You! Oh my god!"

"Oh my~!" METTATON NO! "Now he's turning all red… Karma bites hard hon~."

So this is how Asriel feels, embarrassed and completely annoyed. Eh, worth it. My face was currently blushed red. In an attempt to hide it, I used my ears to try to cover most of my face. "Please no…"

*boop

The sender this time was Alphys. Somehow, she had found her way over to me and taken me by surprise. Once again, that garbled noise escaped my mouth again. This time, nobody could contain laughter. Not even Napstablook could keep himself from slightly giggling. "H-Heh!" Alphys started giggling girlishly. "That's s-so k-kawaii!"

"Alphys noooo!" I screamed in protest from the anime reference. Deciding to change the subject off of the adorable/annoying snoodle boops, I averted everyone's attention. "Don't the rest of you have gifts to open instead of poking my nose?"

I shot a glare to Frisk who was creeping ever so closer. Luckily, they were stopped when my savior Toriel stepped in. "Ah, that reminds me… All of you, please open your gifts. I need to go take the pie out of the oven."

"YOU HEARD TORIEL!" Undyne shouted, preparing to dive into the group of boxes. "LET'S DO THIS! NGAAAAAH!"

Sans poked his head out from the top of the box before quickly regretting it. He barely teleported out before Undyne crashed into the pile of gifts, knocking them all in a heap on the floor. The skeleton in question reappeared next to Chara and I. "Welp… this is temporary revenge for screwing with me kid." He whispered into my ear.

*booping intensifies

I deserved this dearly. But, it still didn't change how embarrassing getting harassed by Sans was. It was a constant onslaught! My snout was still sensitive because I wasn't used to being in a monster body. Same applies for the tail which no one had found yet… (Thank god). "Sans!" I yelled over the sound of Chara laughing. "Please! Mercy!"

"Alright, I'll give ya a break…" He relented, rolling his pupils. He extended a hand to help me up from the ground which I had fallen to because of the booping. He helped me half the way up, but I had to get up the rest of the way due to his height.

Looking around, everything seemed perfect. Papyrus was being noogied by Undyne in a headlock. Toriel was coming out of the kitchen with a pie in hand. However, I could see Asgore longingly glancing at her… _Wait…_ Poor goat-dad never moved on.

Asriel had run over to me, Frisk in tow. He seemed to have this wild expression on his face. "Hey! Chara! Bennett!" We looked down, acknowledging his presence. "Mom said that the pie needs to cool down… Can you come outside and have a snowball fight with Frisk and I?"

"A snowball fight?" Chara asked, as if it was a challenge.

Getting the hint, I arched a brow in question. "Hm… I don't think you two are good enough to beat us in a match."

"Oh! You're on!" Frisk yelled, throwing on their coat and running out the doorway. Asriel was soon to follow, looking back only to make sure we were coming. As soon as we began walking, he disappeared to help Frisk with whatever they were planning.

The human next to me swapped their cloak for their new jacket. It suited them nicely. "Hey, Bennett?" Chara called my name, wanting to ask something.

"Hm?"

They scratched the back of their head for a moment. "Um, I never really thanked you."

That was wrong. Why would they be thanking me after what I'd done before? "Thank me for what?"

"Well…" They placed a hand on their chin, looking at the monster and human playing in the snow. The smiles on their faces seemed to make the expression on Chara's face shift to one of relief. Leaning in to whisper, so no one could hear, Chara answered, "You made them both incredibly happy. For that… I thank you… for doing what I couldn't. And now? Don't you ever, EVER think you've only done bad things in your life."

"Chara I-" My voice cracked. I didn't deserve this…

"Just… please, try to be happy." They finished, turning to go after Asriel and Frisk. But, they seemed to stop before turning to face me once more. "Also, you're absolutely adorable when you bleat." My face took on a deep red. "Never change wolf-boy!" Running out the doorway, they laughed at my sudden reaction to the change in mood.

Sighing and shaking my head, I let loose a chuckle. This was going to be fun, trying to manage this new monster form. Similar to Chara, I swapped my cloak for my own new jacket. Thankfully, I didn't have to stick with the old one. I'd probably grown out of it anyways…

While putting on the coat, I looked down to see my heart locket dangling loosely. It was a sign… that I was still one of them. Everyone still cared for me. Someday, I'd tell them the truth. But for now, I stepped into the winter morning to enjoy what time I had.

 **AN: So, this was my first shot at fluff. Tell me what you think!**

 **(I ship Friskriel so hard right now...)**

 **This chapter had to be remade many times because I kept making Mettaton do something ridiculous and going off topic... whoops.**

 **So what? I did a Christmas chapter a month and a half early? FITE ME! (Honestly, in the time that has passed between monsters being freed (September), it'd probably be Christmas.**

 **Chapters are getting longer and longer!**

 **I may have to answer questions via PM soon. Someone told me answering them in author's notes made the fic interactive and against the rules, but I've looked in the Guidelines and it doesn't quite make it clear... I'll probably stick to author's notes unless I find something convincing.**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing Off!**


	45. Chapter 46

**Chapter 46: Can't Stop da Fluff**

Everyone was happy, laughing at our little skirmish in the backyard. Poor Asriel, being the only one of us not skillful at dodging, had taken many hits. He was still giggling all the while…

Finally, after what seemed like forever, everything just seemed… calm. There was no stress of sharing a soul with someone. There was no hope being drained. No threat was on the horizon… except for my little problem, but that's besides the point.

We had finally come inside, after getting pelted by many snowballs. Asriel was STILL joking about how I shook the snow out of my fur. It's a wolf instinct! I couldn't control it! Adjusting to this new body wasn't easy… at all. Especially when people like Frisk found interest in your ears…

Speaking of Frisk, they seemed really glad we were back. It was honestly strange that they weren't unnerved that two people who presumably hurt them, they would be fine around. But, then again, they had forgiven everyone in the Underground before, even when monsters were out for their soul. Or they just didn't know…

After the snowball fight, Toriel had called us in for pie. She was… extremely clingy towards Chara and I. Who wouldn't be watching their resurrected children closely? But… who cares when there is an amazing pie is sitting in front of you.

I could have sworn that Frisk was eyeing me closely. Why? Well, how was I supposed to know? I'm not a psychic wizard. My eyes narrowed at the human in question. "What are you so interested about?" The question came out quite fluently. Frisk, on the other hand, jolted backwards as if hiding something.

Way to go Frisk, calling more attention to yourself. A slight red crept onto their face. "N-Nothing." I'd seen that look. It was as if they'd seen something cute. A look they commonly used when around Asriel.

I wasn't up to even questioning it right now. But, that didn't change when Alphys was looking the same way. What were they even looking at? "O-Oh! T-That's so adorable!" Alphys squeaked, covering her eyes in embarrassment.

Did I look adorable? What was she- oh… OH… Well, this was slightly embarrassing. Somehow, I had failed to notice that tail of mine wagging… _Oh dear god…_ Blushing, I crossed my arms with annoyance. "Oh, come on! I'm not the only one who has a tail!" I shrieked, trying to stop the persistent wagging. How did dogs do this on a daily basis? This was very awkward.

"What did I tell you?" Frisk asked, elbowing Asriel. The goat child glanced towards the human, his mouth still full of pie. A sly glance from Frisk was all I needed to know. They were going to make fun of me again. "I knew he was a tsundere!"

My hand met my face in an instant. Giggling from the other side of the room signified that they had received the intended results. Never would those two get the best of me. "And you two are madly in love! So respect the fluffy tail!" The last sentence came out as a grumble as I refocused back to my unfinished pie.

"Wow kid…" God dammit Sans… "Looks like you got the tail-end of this deal."

Shaking my head, I pinched the bridge of my snout, trying so hard not to make a retort. My tail had been something I was extremely embarrassed about since day one. The fact that they wouldn't let it go just made me all the more insecure. I'm fairly sure the reason Sans did it was to spite me.

The skeleton shrugged, plopping down on a chair. That grin he was wearing just proved he knew that he had struck a sensitive spot. Honestly, I couldn't tell if he really wanted to make me feel horrible about myself, or if he just was screwing with me… Sans was always the one I could never read.

Chara was just sitting back and enjoying the show. The game didn't do justice on their personality… _Stop thinking about the game._ The human stole a devious look in my direction. Oh dear god what embarrassing story were they going to tell? As if that wasn't bad enough, they were going to tell about my extreme misfortunes while everyone was coming into the room again.

I wasn't sure whether to be glad that they held off, or unnerved that they may be saving the story for later. Everyone began sitting back down, settling in for clarification. This was a big event that had just occurred, and they wouldn't let Chara and I get by without a deep explanation from both of us. Which really sucked, because I did not want to have to mention Gaster. Maybe I could avoid mentioning him altogether…

Swallowing the last bit of pie, I placed my plate to the side. This was going to be a long day. It was also an extreme struggle to get any stray crumbs out of my fur. I had never exactly been invested in how I visually appeared to others, but now, in a new body, that wasn't the case. Frisk sat down next to Toriel, deciding to give their mother more attention. Asriel, being the sucker he is, decided to not give me an opportunity to ship him and Frisk more. Instead of sitting next to them, he took his spot next to me.

The small monster looked up to me with a grimace on his face. He seemed to be looking slightly above my actual head. "Aw! How come you get horns and I don't?"

"Oh! These?" I motioned to the red horns that were fairly long. Of course he'd be jealous. Although, I was not too keen on them. "They are more of an annoyance than a plus." Memories of getting them stuck still plagued my mind.

"U-Um, s-sorry to interrupt…" The sender of the voice was Alphys. She seemed to be studying me with curiosity. "But… h-how a-are you… u-uh."

"A monster?" I finished her sentence, clearly seeing that she didn't want to offend me at all.

"Y-Yes!" Here comes nerd Alphys! Adjusting her glasses, she went into science mode. "B-By all means a h-human shouldn't have b-been able to turn into a m-monster. I-It's never h-happened before!"

"That…" I paused, placing a hand on my chin in thought. By all logic, there should have been no way I could suddenly become a monster. Gaster had brought forth this part of my body, but he never explained how. "Is a good question…"

"N-Neither does it m-make sense that you s-seem to be some sort of h-hybrid." Of course… bringing up the amazing species Gaster decided to base it on… "I… I can't tell f-for sure, but it seems like… well, in your terms, a goat m-monster mixed with some s-sort of dog monster?"

"Wolf…" I corrected, gazing off into space.

"That… still makes zero sense…" She muttered in thought.

Toriel stepped into the conversation, deciding to put in her input. "Alphys, would you mind giving the two of them a check up tomorrow? I would like to make sure they are perfectly fine." Not taking chances anymore, smart.

The dinosaur monster nodded. "I-I'm sure I c-can manage that." I could definitely see a change in Alphys's timidness. She had been working on getting her stutter down, but she didn't pause that much unless she was asking a possibly offensive question.

"As great as this is…" Asgore's deep voice pitched in. Hell, it surpassed mine by a long shot. "How should we notify the public that these two are back? You are both well known figures in the community… Chara probably more-so since they still look slightly the same…"

That was a good point. For one, I personally didn't like too much attention. Although, Toriel seemed to have it covered. "As long as the children are fine with it, we can arrange something." Keeping a low profile would be difficult. It was probably best to get this out of the way and save the fun for later…

"Sounds good to me mom." Chara answered, gazing at their fingernails. "Just please, try not to embarrass us…" Casual about the situation as usual.

As I was silently listening to the conversation, I could feel extra weight being applied to my side. It took all of my sanity to not just hug the fluffy monster that was leaning up against me. It is nearly impossible NOT to hug him. So freaking cute I wanna die. I internally slapped myself for falling into the depths of cuteness overload.

I had zoned out on accident when Asriel started being cute. It appeared that Mettaton was now talking to everyone with his normal confidence. "Don't you fret about arrangements dear~" Mettaton… I swear if you make something too extravagant… "I'll be the one to handle that.~"

Toriel's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Mettaton, as amazing at managing an event as you are… do not try to pull anything or give away any information. We want to keep this formal." Assertive Toriel is scary Toriel...

"You can count on me darlings~" The robot gave a massive wave, "I must be going now! Thank you for inviting me Toriel." It was nice seeing a change from Mettaton. Normally his ego would make him not as… thankful. Well, Frisk had definitely changed that in their journey through the Underground.

"Bye Mettaton! Bye Napstablook!" Frisk waved cheerfully.

I had completely forgotten about the other ghost. He seemed to make himself unnoticable… Poor guy. Although, he gave a nod due to the fact that he didn't have hands. "Bye everyone…" He muttered, floating out the door as Mettaton shut it behind him.

The silence that followed was short lived when Chara finally decided to say something. "Hey, everyone! Speaking of Bennett becoming a monster, wanna hear a funny story?"

I knew _exactly_ what this story was. Beside me, Asriel cracked his eyes open with a wondering grin on his face. He seemed worn out… Probably from Christmas excitement the previous night. "I wanna hear it…!" He half exclaimed, still using me to stop him from falling over.

My ears drooped in embarrassment. Everyone else already seemed interested in what they had to say. "Please no…" My plea was unanswered.

The human gave a goofy grin. "So, when he was still adjusting to his new body, it was slightly awkward for him. But, oh boy was it fun for me!" They swung their hands around to emphasise the point. "You had to be there to understand how hilarious it was. He was having so much trouble walking."

"Chara-"

"There was one time when he finally had it-" A small giggle escaped their lips. Everyone else, mostly Frisk, had an amused grin on their face. "He was finally able to stand up on his own. I gave him a small poke on his horn and he fell over like a statue."

Crossing my arms, I administered a low growl. "That hurt!" I was not too fond of the memory. Asriel found it funny enough as he was giggling. Red began covering my face as I was getting flustered. "Come on! You try walking as a human one day!"

Undyne was in an uproar with laughter. She apparently found the situation funny. Papyrus seemed to be the only considerate one. "WELL, SLIGHTLY LARGER ASRIEL," I have a name… "I AM GLAD THAT YOU FINALLY KNOW HOW TO MANAGE!"

"Thanks Papyrus." If I had to be honest, I didn't enjoy Papyrus's scenes in the game. He came off as annoying. But, when you finally meet him, you can understand why the fanbase flooded over them. Oh god, I should never mention the fanbase. There were creeps everywhere, writing fanfiction about ridiculous OCs that would somehow-

Wait…

Anyways! Asgore finally broke my little trance with… whatever that was. "As much as I would like to stay and chat, I need to go and make sure Mettaton doesn't do anything." Toriel nodded, accepting the small apology. _Maybe I could get them back together?_

No, that would probably never happen. It wouldn't hurt to try at some point. Asgore excused himself, but not until he gave Frisk, Asriel, and Chara all warm hugs. Him and I settled for a handshake. We weren't exactly close… so neither of us felt comfortable with hugging…

It seemed everyone was leaving, because Alphys and Undyne left, saying they had a Christmas Anime marathon that they couldn't afford to miss. Sans and Papyrus followed suit. But, the smaller of the two shot me a look that said, "Don't try to pull anything."

After that, it was just us left. Looking around, it made me glad the whole Dreemurr family was reunited. Even if it took some sacrifices, they were all back. Everyone was alive and well. I'd never seen Toriel more happy.

I could tell that Asriel's breathing had slowed. Poor kid had worn himself out. Or, he knew that I suffered from cuteness overload and was trying to spite me. But, he seemed so peaceful in the state he was in. Which, in turn, made me realize something: I can't move unless I wake him up… Crap.

Frisk and Chara, realizing my current predicament, decided to do the most dreadful thing. "Hey mom, I want to talk to Chara about something!" Frisk exclaimed, giving me a smirk. They were going to abandon me to this torture.

"Oh! That's perfectly fine my children. Run along!" Toriel seemed to want to talk about something. This was proven when as soon as the two left, she faced me with a warm smile.

"So…" I began, eyeing Asriel with narrowed eyes. "Are you going to spare me from my containment?"

"Actually, I would like to talk to you about Asriel." She stated, sitting down next to me on the couch. What was wrong with him? Was she worried about something? Did he have a problem that would somehow rip this perfect moment with everyone to shreds?

Nothing bad needed to happen right now. "Is there something wrong with him?"

A sympathetic smile spread across her face. "No, my child… he is just fine now." Then what was worrying her so much? Luckily, it seemed he was still asleep due to the fact he was still breathing slowly. Toriel bit her lip, thinking. "It's just that… even with all of these explanations… I do not understand how you are here. And, it seemed Asriel knew you well before you came to us…"

Well, technically he knew me. "We had some interactions. He didn't know who I really was until last night."

"So… you were watching over him, even when no one knew? When… everyone thought you were dead." Tears began brimming in her eyes.

"Mom, please," I begged, holding her hand to try to comfort her. I was never good at these things. "Don't cry right now. There was nothing you could have done." It was hard to contain myself as well. The scar of a red slash still rested on my chest. Luckily, she couldn't see it. "Even so… what does this have to do with Asriel?"

Her hand clenched tighter, "When you died… Asriel, he-" Choking a sob, Toriel forced herself to continue. "Pardon me, I have been trying to h-hold this back for so long, and now that everyone has left I couldn't take it anymore."

"What do you need to tell me?" This was dragging on for too long.

I literally felt like she was going to squeeze my hand to death with that grip. "You understand how us monsters are tied to our emotions, correct?" She inferred as a rhetorical question. Of course I knew. "Asriel was so… quiet. His personality had changed and…" Whatever was coming up next, it seemed painful for her. "Some days I would find small amounts of dust on his clothes when washing them…"

That sentence struck home. If he was leaving dust behind, that meant… "Then something is wrong with him!" Panic began seizing my soul in a rush. Somehow, Asriel hadn't woken up. "What do we have to do? Another soul? Split mine. C'mon, anything but-"

"My child… he is fine." She placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder. "Ever since you showed up a few days ago at the school, it completely stopped…" My shoulders dropped in relief. Thank god he didn't have to suffer like I did. "I… I do not understand the bond you two share. It's so strong."

I wanted so badly just to cry right there. Had I really somehow caused the small boss monster next to me to feel so safe around me? How? What did I do to deserve them being so… kind? None of this made sense. Just… why?

Toriel noticed my silence. So, instead of pressing me for a response, she continued the little speech of hers. "Young one, I wanted you to know that we are all here if you ever need someone to talk to." _Did she know?_ She had clearly noticed my shock. "Why so surprised? Did you forget us monsters express emotions through magic?"

Oh… Well… that wasn't good. "Um, mom I-"

Placing a finger over my snout, she interrupted. "Don't try to make an excuse." _I really did not need this right now._ "All I ask of you is to tell one of us when you are ready." At least she was giving me time. "Listen, no matter what you think, we'd care for you no matter what happens. I care about you. Asriel cares about you even more… We would listen to anything you need to say."

This was a problem with me. Why could I never understand why some people were just so… nice. No one did that. That wasn't a thing in my times as player. Someone was never nice because they just wanted to. There was always something. Foreign thoughts kept rushing through my head. "I-I'll remember that. Thanks mom."

Finally, she released me from this emotional drift. But, that didn't change the still sleeping cinnamon roll next to me. Giggling, Toriel offered, "Would you like me to handle him?"

I had greatly wanted him off of me. But now, after considering what Toriel just said, I wanted to spend a few more moments like this. "Actually, I'll stay here for a bit." I was not going to lie, this was so cute. No matter how hard you tried to resist, the temptation to give into cuteness destroyed you.

"Alright! I will be back in a moment. I must make sure the other two aren't getting into any mischief." She declared, walking up the stairs.

That left Asriel and I alone. The quiet was revitalizing for once. The only sounds were Asriel's occasional mumbles between breaths, but that was it. For once, everything was serene. I glanced down to the monster leaning up against me. He paid no mind to the fact that he was laying up against my arm.

Was he uncomfortable like that? My first guess was yes. His face didn't say that however. The more I stared, the more cuteness seeped into my soul. I was trying to hard not to just completely give him a death hug like he normally does. I mean, seriously, he is a ball of fluff that screams, 'Hug me! I'm cute!'

Carefully, I took my arm out from its wedged position, finally freeing it. Asriel's breathing was irregular for a second as he readjusted unconsciously. I proceeded to wrap my arm around him, pulling him closer. The temptation to just cuddle had nullified all of my logic. Actually, the most logical thing to do in this situation was to hug the fluffy being that is sitting next to you.

I hadn't realized a smile crossing his face. He was experiencing the same feeling as me, peace. Maybe a minute passed before he finally revealed he was awake. I jolted upwards when I realized he was talking. His voice was quiet, "Did you mean it?"

What was he referring to? "O-Oh! I didn't realize you were awake…"

"It's fine." He slightly brushed it off, but didn't move from his current position. "So, like I asked, did you mean what you said?"

Was he awake during that whole conversation? If so, he was very good at pretending. "I said a lot of things Asriel. What do you mean?"

"You panicked when mom said that she needed to talk to you about me." Asriel explained, making eye contact. "You started jumping to solutions and… Did you mean you'd split your existence in half to save me?"

So, that was what he was on about. I had indeed said that when my mind went into panic. While it wasn't possible to split a soul without fatal injuries, "Yes… I meant it Asriel. If you died… I'd…" _Never, did I want to think about that._ "I'd never forgive myself." _And I still hadn't._

The two of us were sent tumbling over when he launched his whole body weight upon me. How many hugs had I received today? I wasn't complaining. Asriel was content, holding onto me with that signature death grip. That was when I realized that he was crying. Asriel was just an emotional child. Which, was a good thing. He always cared, no matter what happened.

"Shh…" I tried soothing him, telling him I was still here. "Asriel, I'll never break my promise. I told you I'd never leave you… and I intend to keep it that way." It was so hard to not burst into tears myself. Emotions were a contagious thing now.

"Hah…" A half laugh came out of his mouth as he wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "You… didn't forget?"

"Of course I didn't." A small smirk appeared on my face. "Plus, I still have to torture you with your little love interest…"

In repulsion, Asriel pushed me away, face turning red. "Oh come on! We were having a moment and you ruined it!" He huffed in annoyance.

"Smol and enraged Asriel is still cute.~" I teased, giving him a light boop on his snoot.

"You wanna play that game?" He asked with a challenging spark in his eyes. In one swift motion, he tried to return the boop. Of course, I was not expecting it. He got the same results that Chara had, an embarrassing bleat.

That smug grin he wore on his face… "Little bro… you should know never to try me…" Menacingly, I stood up, towering over him. He seemed slightly fearful, but didn't expect what would happen next. "Because now I'm going to torture you with endless tickling!"

"Wait whaHAHA!" The surprise that took over was evident. He was expecting anything but that. And the best part was, I found where he was sensitive. Right under his ears was where he was extremely ticklish.

"Think twice before booping me! Your snoodle is the only one that shall be booped."

"N-Never!" He managed to shriek out through laughs. But, he couldn't hold forever. "Alright! I give! I give!"

I ended my relentless onslaught, letting him reorganize himself. Although, he was smiling all the while. That goofy grin on his face just proved that we were still brothers, even if we weren't related. "I missed this." I muttered, earning the attention of the caprine next to me.

"Same…" He sighed, still trying to contain his laughter. The aftershock was still wracking his nerves.

"Well, we can't stay like this forever." I mentioned, getting up off the ground. Asriel followed suit, ears perked up at what we would do next. He was so energetic. "Here, let's go play in the snow, then we need to figure out what Mettaton's up to."

"YES!" The little furball exclaimed, running out the back door in a rush.

What did I do to ever deserve them?

 **AN: 4000 words without the Author's note!**

 **I AM ALIVE! SORRY FOR NOT UPDATING.**

 **So, if you didn't notice, I removed all responses to your reviews.**

 **It is against the site rules, and I do not want to be destroyed when the admins find the Undertale Chaos.**

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 **If you're a guest, thank you for taking your time to review. Know that I enjoy a review whenever I get it, and I read every single one.**

 **Also... you shipping sinners need to stahp XD**

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 **Review if you liked the chapter!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing off!**


	46. Chapter 47

**Chapter 47: Every Deal has Strings Attached**

The nostalgia hit like a truck when I walked through the threshold of my old room. Not much had changed, other than my belongings having been taken out. It seemed it had been well preserved on the other hand… It was almost as if it was untouched other than a seemingly few differences.

Looking out the window, the moonlight could be seen shining on the snow below. In the center of the backyard, a snowman could be seen in the middle. Asriel insisted that I built it with him, not relenting no matter how much I resisted. The whole time, I would not stop singing, "Do you wanna build a snowman?" I'm surprised I'm not dead after that experience.

Setting down any belongings I possessed at the time, I finally gave myself time to breathe. The bed was definitely different. I had no clue why they would have needed to completely change the mattress. Ah, who cares, this one was more comfortable.

Toriel had educated me on how not to destroy the bed with my horns. However, I wasn't sure whether this would be awkward or not… She had recommended putting socks over them to not tear anything up. After slipping them on, I could already tell this looked ridiculous. Oh well, at least I'd be able to sleep without damaging anything. Being a monster was still weird.

We were still trying to figure out where Chara would be sleeping. As of now, they had decided to bunk on the couch. Before any protests from Toriel could come, the human was already asleep. I didn't blame them, they'd done most of the work. It didn't help their case that they barely slept when we were on the move. They were always on guard, no matter what time it was.

It was probably because of their hatred for humanity. While I had grown to accept that humans weren't going anywhere, they still were reluctant around them. It… was rather sad. Chara just didn't have faith in them. One thing they told me was how much they hated being a human. In their eyes, I was extremely lucky to be like I was.

If I have to admit, being a monster was more… peaceful than being a human. I no longer saw magic as just a tool, but part of me. As a human, it just seemed like an extension to my strength. But now? Now it felt like who I was. I was more accepting of the fact. Although the downgrade of this was being a goofy looking monster hybrid.

A knock on the door jarred me out of my thoughts. The knock was light, telling me it had to be Asriel. I gave him permission to enter with a, "Come in." Immediately, the knob twisted, letting him enter. When Toriel said monsters express themselves through magic, she wasn't kidding. I could literally feel positive emotions coming off of him.

With a smile on his face, he plopped down next to me. This whole thing seemed surreal to him as well. Although, that didn't keep him from being the happy little brother he always was.

He trembled with excitement, trying to contain himself. "Today was so fun!"

"Well, aside from the whole tail predicament…" I mumbled, stroking my chin. Hm, technically I had a beard now if fur counted. "Yeah, I'd say the same."

Literally latching to my arm, he gave the puppy eyes… "Can we play tomorrow? Please?" _Dammit Asriel, stop being cute. I can't focus/keep cool when you're like this._

Well, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn't say no to that face. Although, I was extremely tired. Signs of that were clear. Bags had already formed under my eyes from countless nights of being on the move. "I'll hangout with you as you let me sleep. I haven't actually slept on a bed since a few weeks ago…"

Asriel's ears drooped slightly at the mention. However, that didn't stop him from keeping up the positive attitude. "Fine! But you're not sleeping all day." As in 'all day' he meant until nine in the morning. Typical Asriel logic…

Ignoring his protests, I slid fully onto my bed. "Yeah, sure. Sleep is calling for a date and I must accept…" Dear god I forgot how comfortable mattresses were.

He seemed a bit disgruntled at me going to sleep so easily. But, he understood why I'd be so worn out and beaten. That didn't change the slight frown etched to his face. It wasn't much to my surprise when he climbed up onto the bed, sitting cross legged across from me. "Can we talk a little more? I haven't seen you in a month!"

Couldn't deny that… Of course he'd be curious. "Talk about what?"

"You know… what you were doing in that month. You obviously weren't sitting around doing nothing." Interest sparked on his face. It was then when I realized I wouldn't be going to sleep anytime soon…

"Asriel, that would take more than one night to explain…" For a moment, my grin flickered off my face. _Bad memories…_ "And… I don't really think I'm ready to talk about it…" It's still hard to remember what happened. After all, I've been gone for longer than he thought.

I hadn't noticed that he visibly backed off, not delving any further. Asriel knew my limits, and decided not to bring up anything that could hurt me. "It's fine! You don't have to tell me anything… S-Sorry I brought it up…" He was reduced to silence, now not looking towards my face, and instead finding more interest in the floor. An emotion came from his soul, fear. Before I could ask him what was wrong, he answered my unspoken question for me. "I know mom already told you this… but…"

"Yes, I know. You don't want to lose me again." Sighing, I averted my gaze, looking out the moonlit window. "I think I've made it quite clear I'm _not_ going anywhere."

I could tell he wasn't convinced. Who would be? No one wanted anymore horrible things to happen. Asriel was probably the most persistent one out of everyone. I wish I thanked him then, for always looking out for me, but… "But, you… said that last time." He fidgeted in his spot, still looking anywhere but me. "You can't hide it from me anymore. What aren't you telling me?"

Bringing this up wasn't going to happen. If I told him everything… If I told him how many times I had killed him and everyone else… Well, I don't want to know what would happen. There was nothing to say. Any words I would speak would make him wonder more and more. Eventually, I'd be stuck in the player scenario. The last attempt to drive the subject away, was to not give any answer. "Listen, Asriel, I'm too tired right now to think clearly."

I bit my tongue at the horrible wording. _Wow, what a horribly executed excuse._ And to make everything SO much better, he now seemed downcast. But, he still managed to crack a smile. "I know it's hard, but… if I see anything wrong with you, you're not escaping anything." By some miracle, he had let the questioning end. However, not before he wrapped me into a trapping hug. It seemed this was a habit of his. Not that I was complaining. Although, I noticed he slightly stiffened up. In an instant, he flinched backwards. "Ew! You're wet…"

And… he was saying he didn't have trouble drying off? "What? Fur is a nightmare to dry!" The subject had changed rather quickly, but to my relief. He shrugged, finally getting up and heading towards the door.

Asriel's hand nearly twisted the doorknob before he stopped short. Taking a deep breath, he said one last thing before going back to his own room. "I know you feel guilty about something… you aren't good at hiding emotions from your soul…" It was as if they could see right through me now. I despised that so much. Now, I was making them worry over something that is, in essence, just emotions. "I know you're scared of what we'd think… We would forgive you, no matter what."

With that, he quietly took his leave, leaving me to my thoughts. I wanted to badly to believe what he said was true. But, after sending them back to the Underground so many times… how would I forgive _myself?_ Just because they said they forgave me didn't mean I didn't do it. All my actions still stood.

They'd never look at me the same again. I could see it now. Just like before… like before I came here. _As soon as they found out, it was all forced smiles and strained laughs. Doomed to be forgotten, never to be the same._ And this time? I had the power to destroy everything in my path. A power I had to control was one I didn't take lightly. I knew my capabilities, and I wish I didn't have them.

Reaching for my bedside table, I flicked off the lamp, darkness taking the room. Before I shut my eyes, I muttered to myself, "Asriel, if you know what's best for you, you'd kill me while you still have the chance." It was rude of me to talk about someone who was listening…

* * *

One mont- year ago…

Two options rested before us. We could choose either. Chara stood beside me, wondering why I wasn't immediately rushing over to the obviously correct choice. I stood motionless, the bloody scar across my chest burning with pain. All I wanted was for this to end. I didn't want to continue. After what I'd done… Continuing felt like I was being selfish.

The human standing beside me snapped their fingers in front of my face. They seemed confused as to why I hadn't moved. Wasn't this what I wanted the whole time? I had wanted to die, so why was I hesitating so much on just pressing Quit. Was it fear of leaving? Or… the urge to commit more crimes against the monster's innocent lives.

Or was it something else? I had no will to Continue. I only wanted to just Quit. So what was taking me so long? Chara was now calling my name, trying to get my attention. What they said, I couldn't hear. I refused to hear what they were saying. That was what I was, an emotionless being that only wanted peace.

Step by step, I began walking towards the correct option in my mind, "Quit." The drowned yells of Chara were still resonating from behind me, but I didn't care. All I ever wanted was to find peace… and that was my goal. I didn't care about what would happen after I pressed that button.

All I knew was that Continue was not an option for me to take.

My hand finally reached for the option that would send me away from this wretched world. It was so close, shining as if calling me. I was so close to being able to touch it, when something grabbed me by the neck in a headlock.

Everything snapped back into order. My senses came back to me. I could hear the yells of protest from Chara, the human retraining me back with a death hold. They knew that if they let go, I'd be lost forever. I still couldn't make out what they were saying, but the garbled noises were louder than before. I just wanted it to stop.

I broke free from their hold, making a lunge for the Quit button. The only thing I was met with was a slam to the floor. Chara had grabbed my leg, keeping me from the peace I needed. If you had looked at my body in that moment, down at the horror I'd become, you'd see nothing but the abomination I was, and still am. **Player.**

The screams grew louder. Chara was pulling me further away from the option, and instead rushing to continue. The crazed grin on my face brightened as I successfully kicked them away, making one last effort to get to Quit.

They tried to stop me, but failed to grab on. My hand almost touched, but my resolve suddenly shattered. Why? Chara said something that finally reached my deaf ears. "Think about Asriel! Think about Frisk, me, everyone else!"

I could have ended it right there. I didn't have to answer. The option was right there, and we'd never speak again if I pressed it. "They would think I'm an abomination, that's what they'd say… **That's what they all say."**

Chara looked to Gaster, who had been watching the scene the whole time. He had been unmoving, watching this all unfold. The human's eyes snapped back to me, rage clear. "They'd forgive you. Even if it took a lifetime, they wouldn't ever hold it against you." They slowly stood on their feet, reaching a shaking hand out for me to take. "Please… I want to help you."

My hand trembled over "Quit", moving away slightly. Before I could even answer, Chara took the moment of weakness to their advantage. In one swift motion, they grabbed for my hand. There was no time to react before they ran towards Continue. I screamed for them to stop, to just let me leave…

The choice had already been made.

That day, I was forced to Continue…

* * *

Present Time

This was a sleepless night for Asriel. He couldn't shake the thought of me hiding things… again. Had I not learned from last time? Was going through death not enough to show me that they were there for me? Whatever the reason… he didn't know.

The boss monster shifted in his bed, trying to find some position to have a bit of sleep. Why couldn't he? Was he just too giddy? Or was it because of my silence. It was most definitely the latter. Asriel was definitely tired from the days leading up to this. He hadn't had proper sleep in a month for obvious reasons. Even the nights when he did sleep, nightmares would riddle his mind.

That time was horrible for him. It just seemed odd that everything had taken a change for the best. One day, he was in pits of depression, barely trying to get by. Now, he was his old self again, always happy and nearly never saddened. He had a resolve that he wouldn't let anything bad happen to me. He'd get the answer out of me, even if he had to beat it out of me.

Well, maybe force wouldn't be the best option. He knew he would get beaten easily. His magic was limited. Whenever he had used magic to a massive extent, he had a strong impulse of emotion to make it work. Asriel didn't know his own strengths. But, that didn't stop him from needing an answer.

He was done with sitting around and waiting for something to happen. Waiting for me to open up was essentially like waiting for the world to suddenly end. He slid out of bed, being sure not to disturb Frisk. Actually, he had no clue if they were asleep. It was hard to tell with the eyes of theirs…

Seeing no movement being made, Asriel stealthily went for the door. He winced when the hinges creaked. Looking back at Frisk, they still hadn't stirred. He sighed in relief, walking out into the open hallway. My room was a bit further down, resting in between his and Toriel's. When he heard sounds coming from behind my door, he thought it was his imagination.

However, as he got closer, he knew something was up. It sounded like garbled demonic noises, overlapping each other. The closer he got to the door, the more uncomfortable he got. He was now right up at the doorway, being able to hear hushed whispers and that strange noise clearly. He considered running to get Toriel, but instead went into the room on his own.

What he saw made pure fear boil in him. His eyes widened in shock and surprise, seeing the scene that was taking place. My body was flickering in between my normal monster form, and some dark being. Red strings were weaving throughout the room, trying to latch onto the second figure. Asriel could distinguish that the individual was Chara.

The human noticed he entered. As soon as he came in, they were shocked that he had to see this. Funny thing about that moment actually. Chara knew Asriel was coming. They could have easily stopped his way from getting in, but they let the monster in anyway. Chara knew that he deserved knowing what was going on in the slightest.

But, that didn't change the danger in the room. Some of the red strings weaved towards Chara's now exposed soul. The human looked back to Asriel, putting a protective arm in front of him. "Asriel, stay behind me, and don't make any noises…"

He didn't question it, cowering behind Chara. There was something about the way that smile on my face looked when it flickered to the abomination I truly was. It was filled with hatred and the extreme want for power. But behind that, he could feel unbridled pain coming from my soul.

Red strings finally shot towards Chara's soul in an attempt to do something. What the purpose was, Asriel didn't know. But, what did surprise him even further was when Chara's hand began forming something in it. A green frying pan rested in their grip. Had they just used magic? Whatever it was, Chara swatted at the strings.

They seemed to recoil back slightly, but not enough for the human to rest. Chara was sweating, discarding the frying pan. Using a trick they had seen me use before, Chara instead used a purple notebook. The pages flipped as the book floated in midair. One word came up, Peace. The magic infused word shot to my soul, immediately ceasing the red wires.

Just as suddenly as it started, the onslaught ended. My body slumped to the ground, finally staying on my monster-like figure. Asriel hesitantly peeked out from behind his human sibling, looking for any signs of a threat. When there was none, he finally had the nerves to speak, "W-What… was that?"

Chara didn't know how to respond. They couldn't explain what was truly happening, but they knew that it had to do with my former Player status. They just… didn't know how or why it was happening. I was the only one who knew the answer to that. "That… is what he... didn't want you knowing…" It was hard for them to catch their breath after that encounter.

Asriel didn't even bother asking if that was magic Chara had used. Instead, he decided to walk over to my motionless body. "Is… he all right?" He asked, kneeling down and trying to look for any possible injuries, unable to notice that what had taken place was more emotional than physical.

Chara nodded, stooping down to pick up my body and lay it back on the bed. Although, they couldn't be so sure… They only said that to keep Asriel relaxed and to not panic. "He'll be fine for now…" The expression on their face told Asriel otherwise. "Asriel, I have to ask that you never try to stop one of these occurrences on your own. I… I can't reach him anymore. I don't want you getting hurt."

"I-I understand…" He couldn't help but keep seeing that sickening smile I wore. There was something about it that made him so uneasy.

Chara stood, staring at me for moments longer. They were uneasy about all of this as well. It had been able to manifest physical attacks now. That was a danger. "Listen, Asriel… what you saw happening isn't him. If you know what's best for you, you won't say anything."

Asriel nodded, gazing at me with a blank stare. Even though things seemed fine, he just hoped things would finally be normal. He thought himself stupid to believe that. There was always something. "This… is this permanent?"

The human paused, freezing up at the mention. That depended, but they knew one thing. "Yes, but only until he is able to forgive himself…" They paused, giving a sad chuckle. "I'm still scared that he never will."

"What did he do? He never showed signs of this before…" Something clicked in Asriel's head. Before Chara could answer, he tried to answer the question for himself. "Did… did something happen while you two were gone in that month?" He asked, uncomfortably twiddling his thumbs.

"N-No…" It had happened long ago. "When it happened, I… I don't know. All I know is that he needs support if this will ever stop."

Chara stopped speaking when they realized Asriel was about to cry. Of course, he was scared things would turn for the worst. The human kneeled down, wrapping Asriel in a tight embrace. It had been a long time since the two had ever been like this.

 _He was going to die. Stumbling into the throne room, Asriel didn't want to accept his fate. Chara was screaming apologies, eyes burning with both of their tears. His parents rushed into the room, trying to say something to him. They met deaf ears, as Asriel turned to dust. Before parting, the monster and human held onto each other, for what they thought was the last time._

Finally, Asriel let go, tears staining his fur. He smiled to his older human sibling, wiping the tears from his eyes. "I-I think I'm fine now C-Chara…"

Chara let go of him in turn, getting up from their position. "Asriel, he isn't dying. But… he's turning into something he believes he is… Just please… be careful." The stress on their face showed forth more than ever. One thing Chara was always good at was hiding that they were worried, but not this time. "He's… really fragile emotionally. Just be careful about what you say. He may act tough… but he has limits."

Asriel nodded in full understanding. He'd have to learn the truth on another date when I was ready. As of now, that wouldn't be the case. He didn't want to see me in that state again, and neither did Chara. Luckily, no one else had been woken up by the attacks. Strings are relatively quiet. "Is… is this going to happen again tonight?" Asriel asked, placing a hand on my motionless shoulder. He could feel the stiffness of my body.

"No, he's currently in a coma like state for a few hours. Having that happen to him takes a toll on his body." They explained, but knew what he was trying to do. "It's fine if you want to keep him company, he can't hurt you right now." They got no response, and instead of waiting for one, they left Asriel and I in silence.

As soon as Asriel noticed Chara was gone, he stealthily crept into my bed, giving me a tight hug around the waist. I immediately relaxed, subconsciously giving in to the comfort he offered me. I still had never told him thank you for always… always being the one to help me in my darkest times. I never told him just how much he meant to me. He was the best brother I could have asked for…

But now? Well, you're not to that part yet…

I mean, an author can have his secrets, am I right?

* * *

The next morning, Toriel walked through the hallways, hoping the previous day wasn't some sick dream. It seemed so real, but she didn't think it was possible. However, when she checked my bedroom, she saw two monsters laying there asleep. Shaking her head and laughing, she let us sleep in peace. "When did I get such adorable children?"

 **AN: BEFORE YOU KILL ME!**

 **Things have gotten a bit complicated in life, so updates... have gotten harder to write.**

 **And much darker at times...**

 **Don't worry, no hiatus to be seen here. I'm a faithful author.**

 **Two projects are about to be finished in school, so maybe things will slow down a bit for me in November.**

 **Also, "I mean, an author can have his secrets, am I right?" By no means am I really "roleplaying" but let's think about this:**

 **This is being told from the OC in first person PAST. So this happened in the PAST. When and where is he telling the story?**

 **You'll have to wait and find out =D**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing Off**


	47. Chapter 48

**Chapter 48: Hatred of a Puppet**

One year ago

My arms and legs were forcefully pressed into place. I was being held down by both Gaster and Chara, unable to move. No matter how hard I struggled, or how much I screamed, they would not relent. I had no consent on what the two were about to do to me.

Gaster began strapping my legs down, tightening them so much that my blood flow was almost cut off. It wasn't like it mattered. We were all somewhere in between life and death. However, pain was still a thing. And I was about to be in a world of it. Chara did the same as Gaster, muttering an 'I'm sorry', before strapping my arms down.

I tried to struggle, but it was futile. As one last resort, I tried to teleport, blast my way out, but that didn't work either. Why it didn't, I wasn't completely sure until I looked to my arm. Like father like son, Gaster kept my magic restrained. The scientist proceeded to put a strap around my neck, taking away any possible movement.

They wanted to change my form they said… My body was too damaged they said… My soul was too mangled they said… **And I had no choice in the matter.** My form began flickering at the thought, that sinister grin staring them down with malicious intent. However, I was powerless in my current state. No matter what I did, there was no escape.

Gaster waved a hand over my face, breaking the trance that had come over me. The sympathetic look on his face told me he didn't mean ill will. So much regret was painted in their expressions, but… they knew what they had to do to me.

Pressing a hand over my chest, Gaster called upon my gnarled soul. It looked so damaged. The cracks were more numerous, the soul being only held together by the determination from Continuing, even though I didn't choose to do that. He gave a sigh, shutting his eyes. "Player… I am sorry you will have to bear this pain."

Before I could react, I knew what he meant. He touched my soul with a gold glowing palm, the soul slightly reforming. As soon as I noticed the changes in the soul, I could feel my body changing as well. You'd think that it would be a swift transformation like in movies, right?

You couldn't ever have been more wrong. The bones in my feet snapped out of their sockets, splintering into tiny pieces. I let out a cry of pain, trying so hard not to slip into unconsciousness. It was ripping through my entire body, panging through my nerves with intensity.

Some bones dissipated inside of my body, being lost forever. Others rearranged themselves, making three toes similar to the ones Asriel had. That was when I realized what he was doing. I was becoming a monster… With a pained click, they situated into place. I thought it was over, but I couldn't have been more stupid.

Padding and fur began poking through my skin, ripping through and causing me to yelp yet again. It's so hard to describe that moment… only because of how excruciating it was. It felt like eternal torture compacted into a long burst of hell. By the time it was done, I was in tears, trying to stay strong, even though it was impossible.

Chara gave a reassuring squeeze on my hand, telling me they were there. I took comfort knowing that they'd be with me the whole way, no matter what happened. Gaster checked my feet, making sure they were in proper order, before touching my soul again.

The pain was more vast this time. The last time it was only in my feet, now it came all the way up to my waist. Bones once again began readjusting, fur growing on every inch of me. I could no longer feel any blood coursing through my veins. Or… lack thereof. My hand was wrapped around Chara's, holding on for dear life. They tried just as hard to keep me conscious, as to avoid us being lost mid-operation.

My legs felt completely rearranged, unlike my normal legs I used to have. However, the throbbing pain was still there, filling my mind with nothing but wanting everything to stop. Before I knew it, Gaster had interacted with my soul again. My whole upper body was next, except for the head. Luckily, the bones didn't have to rearrange too much, other than some growing. My height was increasing by a few inches.

That was what I thought. My hands began readjusting, making Chara have to let go of me. My breath grew sharp in a struggle to get through the blistering pain. My fingers began readjusting, turning larger and more animal-like. My fingernails began growing longer and sharper, forming into claws. Once more, padding poked through similar to my feet. By the time it was done, I was barely holding on. If I fell asleep… my soul would most likely not return unless forced back in. That couldn't happen.

Then came the moment I realized how hard this was going to be. The last stage to the transformation would be one of the worst. I'm sure you can already guess what was left. My whole entire skull was about to be rearranged. I'm not talking about a few bones here and there, maybe some being forgotten completely… I am talking about the _whole_ skull. If I could tell this was going anywhere, it was definitely going to cause seemingly eternal pain.

This time, Gaster hesitated with my soul. He studied me intently, hints of regret on his face. But, there was no going back from this. We all knew this was the only way to give me a physical body again. Looking to Chara, I could see they were on the verge of tears. Apparently seeing me in this much pain made them finally crack.

Before we continued, Gaster asked them if they wanted to step away. But, they didn't accept, deciding to stay with me through this last bit of transformation. It was hard for them, but they knew they had to. The scientist nodded, signalling that it was time to begin.

He readjusted one last segment of my soul, the effects beginning immediately. I could feel, hear, experience… every single bone that splintered in my skull. At this point, I do not remember how much I screamed. It was unbearable. How I was awake, I'll never know. Maybe it was impossible to actually fall asleep in the void. I was wishing it was a possibility.

Over the screams, I could hear my bones creaking and rearranging into a monster skull. I was truly about to look like a goat-type monster. Horns began growing, tearing through my flesh. However, no blood was drawn. The whole time, I hadn't noticed my veins shrivelling and decaying inside of me.

Fur had already taken over, keeping from any horrifying looks that having skin would make at this point. But, that was when my ears shrunk in, completely disappearing. And I knew exactly why. New ones began growing near the top of my head, giving me fluffy, long ones instead.

Then, there was only one part left. Gaster brought a hand over my mouth, and began pulling. Bones snapped and splintered, making me wither in pain. I could no longer scream, as my jaw had been dislocated. My nose disappeared, being reformed into my upper jaw. My nuzzle was taking shape, giving me a sickening sense of something worse than any torment I'd ever felt.

After what seemed like an eternity, he took his hand off. It was over, it was… actually over. The pain was still there, but not nearly as much as I had previously felt. " **It is done."** Gaster spoke with affirmity, beginning to untie the straps that held me down.

Chara didn't hesitate to wrap me in a tearful hug, holding on as tight as they possibly could. I had no strength to hug back, nor to even speak, but according to the smile on their face, they got the message. "I-It's okay now. I-I'll n-never make you g-go through that again."

* * *

Present Time

Reliving memories was a constant for me when asleep. I hadn't had a proper dream for a long time, only being stuck with either reminders of who I really was, or my time in the void. But, now that I thought about it, when did I fall asleep? Last thing I remembered was it being the middle of the day and Alphys was scanning my soul.

Oh, that's what happened. When she had exposed my soul, I must have passed out from that previous memory I had witnessed. That most likely would have paused the operation, making her have to forcefully put the soul back in. Which, this explanation explained the pain I was receiving from my chest. Having your soul forced in isn't painless, at all.

It wasn't too bad. Alphys was probably experienced with doing this before. Granted, monster souls were not able to be fully exposed unless it was a boss monster. But, she must have been trained to do this in her studies.

Pushing myself into an upright position, I found it wasn't too painful to keep sitting up. Looking out the window, I could tell I had been out for quite a bit. The sun was setting already. Great, the whole day wasted, and now I wasn't tired.

This whole incident with my Player status and the void was getting in the way of a perfectly normal life. That's all I wanted at this point. Was it so hard to ask for? I had come to my senses that hiding the truth would only make things worse, but I didn't know how to tell them.

What would they think? Chances were that many questions were going to be asked. Not to mention I had killed them all at least once. What would they think of someone who had lived in their home… driving a knife through their chest. _No, get the thoughts out of your head._ I knew that they would say they'd forgive me… but…

Would they ever look at me the same way again?

I had to start somewhere. If I didn't talk to anyone about this, things would get nowhere. It was no mystery that if nothing was done, I'd lose control forever. Gaster had stated that many time- Wait, Gaster would be a good place to start. He would know what to do. Ugh, but Toriel wouldn't let me get out of the house at all. She had made it clear she didn't want me going anywhere without permission until people knew I even existed.

Teleportation was the best option. It would take a good bit out of me, but not enough to completely render me dry until I got back. Good, I needed to do this quickly. That was until I realized I was attempting to teleport when previously having my soul forced back in. _Plan foiled._

Looks like I'd have to wait. Finally mustering the strength to stand, I made my way for the door to see if anyone was around. When I made it downstairs, the only one present was Frisk. And, by the looks of it, they were experimenting with magic. The locket Asriel gave them seemed to give them a small stretch of magic.

I could tell they were trying, but they couldn't make anything. It reminded me of the first time I trained with Sans. What was it he told me? I had to find my base? The human seemed to be struggling themself. Being that I was the only one here, why not?

They noticed I was standing there, quickly trying to act like they weren't doing anything suspicious. "Oh! You're awake!" That strained smile on their face couldn't hide slight embarrassment in their expression because I was watching them fail at using magic. Anyone would be slightly flustered. "Sorry, I didn't know you were there." They admitted.

Giving a dismissive wave, I responded, "It's fine. I just got up anyways." An awkward silence passed between the two of us. One thing I took note of was that Frisk and I never interacted with each other much. That needed to change. "So… trying to use magic without adult supervision?" I teased, knowing Toriel wouldn't approve.

A bead of sweat dripped down their forehead. "U-Um, I-I can explain!" It was funny seeing them caught red handed. But, that's not what I came here to do.

Gesturing to their heart locket, I stated firmly, "I won't judge…" A bit of relief began showing on their face, but they were quite confused as to why I wasn't going to say anything. A smirk crossed my face knowingly, "If you're that anxious to learn magic, how about I show you some basics?"

 _Truly, I was doing this partially to make up for controlling Frisk._ Of course, nothing could be done to amend for that completely. _Nothing…_ Their eyes widened at the possibility, but that quickly changed to them thinking I was kidding. "Really? You would actually do that?"

Shrugging, I lied, "Sure, I'm really bored right now anyway." Of course, my common excuse. Another good reason for them to learn magic is if one day I ever lost control… maybe there would be someone who could stop me. That thought scared me. Would anyone be able to truly put a stop to the chaos I'd be able to cause? _The answer was no._

They considered the possibility, gauging the time when Toriel, Chara, and Asriel would get home. Speaking of which, where were the three? As if answering my mental question, Frisk decided, "I mean… I guess it'll be fine. Everyone else is checking with Mettaton about the whole reveal predicament…"

I had completely forgotten about Mettaton planning to reveal us to monsters. Thank god that situation was being handled. "That sounds perfect!"

Frisk now got fully into the program now. Being the only one in the family who couldn't use magic, I assumed they'd want to fit in a bit better. It probably was a bit awkward. After the previous scan with Chara, we all knew they were capable of performing slight magic. That left only Frisk who couldn't… "You can _actually_ teach me to do magic?"

"Well, I'm not one hundred percent sure, but that locket Asriel gave you should let you do it as long as you're wearing it." I explained, noticing they were eager to learn how to actually perform magic. "So, I'm really going off of what Sans taught me, so just bear with me." They nodded, still in a pose they had similar to one Papyrus used. Interesting… "So, what have you been trying to do so far?"

They thought for a moment, trying to put their magic process into words. "Asriel always explained it as drawing magic from your soul and creating something. I've been trying that, but nothing seems to work."

Alright, that put one possibility out the window. I had anticipated this if Frisk did ever use magic. They were not offensive. That was more on Chara and I's side. "Then your specialty is either defensive or supportive." I'd learned the terms from Gaster in my time in the void. Magic could be classified in many categories, but there were three main ones. Offensive, Defensive, and Supportive. There were other smaller categories under the larger, but I'll leave it at that for now.

"What does that mean?" They asked, tilting their head slightly.

"WELL!" I was getting into this whole teaching thing a bit too much. Maybe that could be a profession. _Spoiler alert, it never was._ "Monsters like Asriel and I are more on the side of using Offensive magic. However, we can exploit our offensive magic to use as defense like Asriel's Star Blazing attack." I paused a moment, letting the information sink in. "Monsters like Alphys use supportive magic mainly, they aren't fighters 9/10 times. Defensive monsters are rare. The only one I can think of right of the bat is Gaster. He hangs back and lets DT Blasters do the work."

I hadn't noticed I went on a mini rant. But, Frisk seemed to pick up everything. "Alright! So how do the others work?"

Right to the point I see… "So, from my time being able to use supportive magic, I was able to change my soul color. Which, I can no longer do sadly to demonstrate…" It was a mystery how I lost the ability. Gaster explained that it was most likely due to monsters having harder times with the capabilities. "But, you have to, instead of draw the power, focus the magic in your soul. Then, you have to have some form of trait come in to switch the color." That's quite hard to explain…

Once again, they seemed to understand perfectly. They held their hand over their glowing soul, concentrating with their eyes closed… well… more than normal. I could feel magic coming from them, but it seemed like they were trying to make it go from their soul, to their hands, and back to their soul. A common mistake. "Uh… Frisk?"

"Sorry… I can't seem to get it." They groaned, sitting down from straining their soul. "Is there something I did wrong?"

Scratching the back of my head, I answered, "Uh yes… but it's a common mistake. You the way you were doing it was trying to summon offensive magic…" They seemed greatly confused, arching a brow in question. I replied to the expression with as much detail as possible. "In the position you're in, only focus on your soul. Don't try to channel magic to your hands. Only. Use. The. Soul." I emphasised, getting them to try one more time.

Frisk obeyed the request, focusing long and hard. I remained perfectly silent to not disturb their trance. After a brief moment, I could hear the ping of their soul. They opened their eyes, seeing it turn a solid green. A blue octagon appeared in front of them, able to be used as a shield. Their eyes widened with laughter at what it was.

It took me a moment to register the joke as well, but I tried to hide it due to the fact I wasn't supposed to know about "Blue Stop Signs." Frisk's green soul mode… generated a freaking blue stop sign. My life was over right then and there. This was literally hilarious.

Frisk seemed proud of themself. They switched their soul back to red, then began experimenting further. As of now, however, it seemed they could only conjure that. I congratulated them with a high five, the human eagerly accepting. It wasn't much, but to them, that was an accomplishment. "So that's what magic feels like!"

"Pretty cool, huh?" I asked, relieved that it was possible for them to defend themself. "You can probably do more if you had a burst of emotion in that trait category."

"Yeah! Someday I'll be as good as Asriel." They exclaimed, determination in their voice. It was nice, seeing them acting more like a child like they should, instead of being forced into an adult scenario because of past resets. The resets I forced them into… Apparently they noticed the pained expression on my face, "Hey…? Are you all right?"

No, I really wasn't. _Five hundred runs…_ I always thought Sans was the one I hurt most in this… but in reality, it was Frisk. Frisk was the one who had to suffer the consequences of my actions. Chara reaped the penalty. They didn't deserve to lie awake at night and be haunted by all the pain I inflicted on them. So, that's why I hesitated to say anything… "I-It's nothing. I'm just… y'know, overwhelmed by all of this."

That wasn't the answer they were expecting. However, they nodded slowly, meaning they understood. Of course, they didn't let their guard down. What I didn't understand, was that Frisk had already put two and two together. They knew _exactly_ what was going on here. "No, that's not it."

I groaned, rolling back onto the couch. "Frisk, seriously, I'm just tire-"

"Stop making that excuse!" Now we were back to smart adult Frisk, yay. "You slept for hours!"

"Maybe Sans is rubbing off on me?" Shrugging, I buried my head in a couch pillow.

They wouldn't take that for an answer, roughly pulling my head up by my ears. Those things look stretchable, but they _hurt._ Frisk brought me into eye contact, opening their eyes for a death stare. A cold chill ran down my spine as they spoke. "You need to stop this."

"S-Stop what?" I was losing my composure. Were they on to me?

That was the moment I knew it was over. I should have known Frisk would be the first to put everything together. "All of this moping around. You screaming in your sleep… Do you think we don't see what's going on?" They arched a brow as I shook my head. "Asriel and Toriel may be too blind to see it, but I understand now…" They gave a soft smile for a change, no hate or malice anywhere. "Gaster called you something during the battle… and I understand what's going on with you now. I saw the way you always flinch when someone talks to you, and how you reacted to the magic I used…"

"Fr-Frisk, I can explain." They knew. _They freaking knew._ Not good. Anything but this.

"No, you don't." I was not in control in any way, shape, or form. "I knew I wasn't in control in the Underground." _No… they couldn't have found out that easily._ The thing that irked me was the soft smile they still wore. "You were so sneaky… just a feeling telling me to do something, and I'd follow…"

"Frisk-"

"I'm not done." They shushed me, holding a finger over my snout. "You were the one who urged me to kill everyone, weren't you?" The smile was finally broken, replaced with hurt. "I blamed Chara for everything, and they blamed me. When really, it was all you…"

My soul felt like it was being crushed. Everything they were saying was true, and it was all my fault. "Frisk, please, just… let me explain."

Frisk stomped their foot on the ground, pure rage coming from them. "It was YOU who kept resetting the timeline. You were the one who forced us all back into that hell." I began flickering slowly, tears gathering in my eyes. "We could have saved Asriel early. We could have made peace with humanity after a few tries without you there. But! You bound us to the script."

"St **op."** Losing control… Nothing left… EXP, LOVE… I finally stood up to my full height, form struggling to stay as one or the other. " **You** know **noth** ing ab **out me** Fri **sk!"**

"All I know is that I won't let my family be hurt again by you! What are you planning to do? Kill us all now that we can't reset?" **Now that I thought about it, it didn't seem like a bad idea-** _Stop._

"I didn't kno **w!"** I yelled back, flames spiraling around my head. " **Do you even know any part of me? Do you even try to understand?"** I changed back to the monster form, expression remaining stone-cold. "Do you really think I would willingly kill any of you? You gave me hope when I thought there was none. You gave me a reason to live… yet you **dare think I would hurt anyone willingly?"** A sadistic laugh escaped my throat. " **But… in my case… I never had a choice."**

Frisk growled, hands balling into fists. "You always had a choice! You could have stopped but you never did! It would have been better if you **never** came back!" The words stung, being embedded in my mind for ages to come. "Now I'm going to have to tell Asriel his so called brother is a sadistic murderer! You stole my life from me when you showed up on that god-forsaken mountain!"

My whole body had gone rigid, the attack I had brewing dissipated entirely. I was full blown crying. "F-Funny… F-Frisk…" I nodded my head in acceptance of what this meant now. I was never meant to exist. I stole Frisk's family from them. There was no reason that I should have ever existed. "T-That's something w-we b-both agree on…"

"Oh boo hoo! What do you want me to do? Pity you?" This side of Frisk had never shown before. The depicted pacifist child had limits. "You killed everyone I loved! Do you just expect me to forgive you because of some stupid tears?"

 _They were oh so right._ "I-I'm sorry I wasted your time Frisk." I apologized, beginning to walk back up to my room. They were giving me a death glare, not once regretting what was said. "And Frisk?" I called, turning to face them with a hate filled expression. "My life was stolen when I ended it on my own you brat."

That was when I left the human, speechless in thought downstairs.

 **AN: And thus, the progression of the plot must begin.**

 **Why so sudden? Because I can't physically have the heart to write fluff anymore. It's causing me to slow down on updates too much, and I'm dragging out the inevitable.**

 **Two more arcs remain, the last one being rather short.**

 **Also, please go check out Sub-Par Grief. He is an underrated author who writes really well, and I'm like his only reviewer. Show the guy some love and bring some support. Like... now. Do it... GO**

 **And, excuse me about the updates being so late. I got some news about something that I don't want to go into depth on.**

 **But, because of this, the next six weeks of updates will be filled to the brim with angst. Be ready...**

 **And thank you guys for the many amazing and loving reviews you gave me. It really brightened up my day...**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing off...**


	48. Chapter 49

**Chapter 49: The Beginning of the End**

It was all going to hell. Frisk had found out all too easily. How long until the rest would realize what I was. Everything I planned on happening was just proven wrong by the human who was supposed to be "merciful." The hard, cold reality had been set by them. Forgiveness was off the table.

Why? Why did I have to do the things I did. Why did I have to be able to remember everything. Soon, they would all know too. What would I do then? There was nowhere to really go. It would be back to how I was before this ever happened, running from the past. Forever on the move to avoid contact with anyone. _I couldn't do that again._

It would be like reliving a past hell. Just like how I thought before I came here, nothing mattered. One way or another, I would lose control to the curiosity and will for power. Then… _then this timeline could see its end._ I feared what that side of me could _really_ do. That was why Frisk hated me.

I couldn't hate them back. It was only justified that they wanted me gone. I was a danger to everyone, and no one would be able to stop it if my "Player" side was unleashed. Gaster had explained that to us many times. When we least expected it, I could- would lose control and cause immense destruction in my wake. That power… was torture.

I could hear the click of the front door opening downstairs. I could only hope and pray that Frisk wouldn't say anything. There was no way anyone could deal with this right now. Voices were already speaking down there in a hurried tone. This was it, wasn't it? They were finally going to know the truth.

Maybe I could try to freeze time and run? Chara had returned my stopwatch the previous day. But… they would find me eventually. Previous times I had run off, it didn't end well. And Sans would know if I messed with time. I didn't want to catch the skeleton's attention more than I already had.

Why did it have to go this way? Deep down, I knew I deserved it. But, they didn't deserve to know that someone they cared for had struck all of them down. Resets and loads would never again be able to fix this. They were gone. It was permanent. I wanted to believe I was dreaming, that this wasn't happening. _But I was not going to wake up._

* * *

As soon as Chara opened the front door, they knew something was up. The whole atmosphere in the room just felt darker than normal. It was that feeling of complete power that they always felt whenever I would… lose myself. It didn't help their suspicion when Frisk was standing in the middle of the room, lost in thought.

Asriel and Toriel were approaching the door as well. If Chara could guess anything by the occasional muffled sobs coming from upstairs, something horrible had happened. What exactly had occurred while they were gone? They had a _very_ good guess. And oh boy were they angry. If Asriel and Toriel found out about what had taken place, it would be beyond repair.

Frisk caught their glare, jolting back because they had no clue Chara was there. The red eyed glare Chara sent towards the other sent chills down their spine. Before either of the two monsters behind them could notice, they gave Frisk a warning glare, before charging up the stairs to see the damage.

Luckily, it didn't seem like there was any. The only thing was a closed door. Of course, that was expected of me. Isolation was a thing I always did a lot. That was why Chara liked to keep me engaged in the month we were actually in the world and not being tampered with in the void. I did a lot of major work to try to keep my mind off of the bad.

Needless to say, it hadn't worked. We were back to square one. However, from the commotion downstairs, it seemed Frisk wasn't saying anything they would regret. Good, because that would only make the situation worst.

With a drawn out sigh, Chara knocked on the door to my room. They heard a hitch of breath from the other side, clearly coming from me. I was never good at keeping composed. After so many years of feeling emotionless when I was truly the player, I just couldn't… couldn't hold back anymore. No matter where I went, the past followed.

Not knowing who was knocking, I gave an answer that would apply to anyone behind the door. "G-Go away… I-I d-don't want to t-talk to you." Why did my voice have to be so shaky. Why couldn't I just be like I was before. If I was going to be forced to succumb to my eventual fate, why couldn't it just be easier on me.

Chara didn't take that for an answer, "If you don't let me in, I'll come in myself." Why were they so persistent? When they received no response, they snapped their fingers, summoning a notebook in their hand. "Fine, I'm coming in then." A green word came out, perseverance, and unlocked the door, clearing Chara's path to go through with what they needed to do.

The first thing they noticed was the fact that I indeed was losing control over myself. It was expected. Making the least amount of noise as possible, they sat down next to be on the bed. I didn't want to even acknowledge their presence. They were trying to comfort something that was _hopeless._ "I-I **sa** id go aw **ay Chara."**

They noted the hostility I was already showing. Chara tried not to show it as to not make me think they didn't trust me, but they were _always_ on guard when talking to me. Any slight change in emotion could cause this. "Not when you're like this."

" **If you know what's** be **st for** you, y **ou'd back off."** It was getting more frequent. Chara could just sense the power radiating throughout the room. It was unnerving. Even they could admit that they were terrified of what I could become, of what I _was._ "Frisk was right… **I'm going to end up hurting everyone…"**

So, that's what Frisk had said. Too much damage was being done. However, the connection between Frisk and I never was really stable in the first place. We never actually communicated that much. However, Frisk was just the start. If they told others, and were believed… the process would speed up much faster.

If only Gaster was here in this situation. The old man had easily been able to reduce the frequency of these episodes, yet now he was out of reach. Chara had been the one tasked with keeping this at bay until Gaster would be able to have a physical body, and get rid of it for good. However… there was still no way of knowing where the other shards of his _soul_ were.

The best they could do was try to subdue the outburst. But, they didn't know how to offer comfort. In all honestly, they were also terrified of me. Distinctly remembering red strings guiding you, and making the blame of actions be on your head can take a toll. The difference between Chara and Frisk was that Chara had seen just exactly _what_ had happened that made me this way, that gave me the will for power. And… it wasn't a pretty sight.

"You don't have to be scared." Chara began, twiddling their thumbs. They were trying to find the right words, but it was so difficult with thoughts racing around their mind. They knew I had every right to be scared. There were so many things that could go wrong now.

My fur was matted from tears streaming down my face. I didn't want to listen to them. Why should I when Frisk was going to tell everyone? It wasn't like the monsters wouldn't believe them. Sans would confirm it eventually, and there were no doubts nightmares from that timeline would pop up. Asriel had spoken to me about them a few times, but didn't like talking about it… The timelines always blurred together, leaving some vague memories intact. Not even a True Reset could erase what Genocide brought forth…

Ironically, I did all of those runs for the same reason as Frisk. Asriel had always been a character who I thought could be indeed saved. I didn't have bad intentions until… Genocide. That was when I was just curious and wanted the challenge. And oh boy did I pay dearly… This was my punishment. Why did it have to be like this? "Chara… I-I have every right to be scared…"

The human had already acknowledged this. Events were going to take a dark turn soon, and we both knew it. It was an unspoken truth between the two of us that we hated bringing up. What I always wondered was, why did Chara even try to stop me from quitting? I had tortured them, manipulated them, harmed them… so why were they so forgiving?

"We won't leave you." They whispered, in a reassuring voice. "That's what you're afraid of, isn't it?" That question struck home. I was scared that they would leave me behind, but I was also terrified that they wouldn't. Either way, it would hurt them beyond repair. So, what could I do?

"I'll hurt them either way." I whimpered, "Chara, you and I both know that there is no way for all of us to be happy while I'm still here. I-I'll hurt y-you. I'll _**kill everyone."**_ I momentarily lost myself in the thought of power. However, I was able to recover, pulling myself out of the trance. "Is that really what you want?"

Chara brought a hand up, laying it comfortingly on my shoulder. A warm smile graced their face. "You deserve better. We want you to-"

Their voice was cut off. Immediately, at those words, my whole form shook and trembled. I shot upright, that sick smile on my face. The pure terror on their face was so amusing. Before they could react to try to stop me, red strings had already bound them by the arms and legs, like a puppet. " **People don't just do things because they want to."** My voice seemed to vibrate across the room.

I could hear steps coming up the stairs, but that didn't matter. Soon, they would all join Chara too. It was quite cute, watching them hopelessly struggle. Betrayal was written on their face, "W-Wha? Why?"

I brought the strings closer, making them move against their will. " **Oh Chara, you should have stayed genocidal! Maybe then you wouldn't have been stupid enough to feed me lies. Telling me that you would forgive me… You DARED tell me that you only did this for me…"** That smile widened with glee. " **You only fear me."**

Banging was heard from the other side of the door. Chara had been so foolish to lock the door… Toriel's worried voice came from the other side, but it was drowned out by the sounds of magic fizzling in the air. "T-That isn't true!" Chara was struggling to speak now. "I believe you can be good. We-"

" **LIES!"** This was absolutely hilarious. " **And guess what? You saved someone that is going to be this world's- no, every single world's' downfall. There won't be anything left, only total erasure."** Their face had contorted to sheer horror. " **And you're going to help me, whether you like it or not."**

A loud bang was heard from behind Chara. Much to my amusement and surprise, Toriel had driven her fist through the wood of the door. Just when you thought Undyne was strong… Immediately, she reached for the doorknob, unlocking the door. Asriel and Frisk were revealed to be with her. _More to join the party!_

The look of horror on their faces just made my day. However, Frisk was only fazed for a second. Asriel tried to yell for them to stop, but his words met deaf ears. The human twirled a Worn Dagger in their hands expertly, rushing me with ferocity and intent in their strike. "Get away from them you monster!" They yelled, slashing right through my chest with the blade.

 **-12908 out of 15000**

The strings that bound Chara completely dissipated. The human themself dropped to the ground, groping at anything around them, trying to feel a sense of control again. Toriel had already rushed over to them, making sure they were alright. That was until she saw the state I was in.

The slash Frisk had inflicted brought back an unsettling image. It was in the exact same position, tearing across my chest. It was the same one I came home with a long time ago. Dust was seeping out of the wound, making me gasp for breath. There was so much killing intent in that blow. The only reason I had survived a hit like that was because… of the locket Asriel gave me.

Frisk glared daggers down on me. I couldn't hold it against them for not showing any remorse for that hit. I deserved to feel that for eternity. No one, not even Asriel, made a move to help me. They were all either terrified, or in Frisk's case, enraged. It was admirable what they had just done. They gave up their pacifist inclined ways to defend the ones they loved.

 _What had I just done?_ The realization came crashing down on me. Chara was struggling to even breath, eyes darting everywhere. The horror of being controlled was one that could never be erased. I had used them like a puppet, just like before. "N-No… I didn't…" _What did I just do? Why did I just try to hurt Chara?_ "I… I hurt…"

Frisk kept their knife held out, as if telling me not to make a move. They didn't want to kill, that was a fact. But, I do not think they would hesitate if I tried anything else. I had almost ended up possessing Chara, and killing the rest of them. And it wasn't like I had just flickered momentarily, I _became_ that.

Chara was just trying to comfort me, and I lashed out. Why did I take that as a threat? What… what was my problem? I stared, horrified at my own hands. The roaring pain of the slash on my chest couldn't amount to the emotional pain I was feeling. I had just ruined _everything._

Someone finally acted, taking a step forward. It was Asriel. He was cautiously taking one step, then another towards me. Fear graced my eyes as I realized he was trying to get closer to me. What was he doing? I could hurt him. Frisk caught him in the corner of their eye, putting a protective arm in front of him. "Asriel…" They muttered, "Don't."

The monster kept moving, still not taking his eyes off of me. They weren't judgemental, only sympathetic. "Frisk… he's just scared." _No, Asriel don't get closer._

Frisk didn't lower their knife, but kept it in position lest anything happened. "Asriel, this isn't who you think it is. This is what caused those resets." They talked about it freely in the presence of Toriel, because she would need to understand why they were doing this. The mother didn't care about what the term meant. She was too focused on trying to maintain Chara's confused agony.

"Didn't I do the same as him Frisk?" Asriel inquired, not meeting their gaze. "I'm not better. I… I did horrible things in my time as Flowey." He chose to be more vague. His goal was not to allow anyone else to know resets existed. No one should be able to live with that pain. "If anything, I did worse."

"But you were emotionless! You couldn't have known better." They still protested, keeping a sharp eye on me. "Asriel, I know you care but… he is going to hurt you."

"We can stop this." The boy motioned to the dagger Frisk was holding. "But… you never killed when I stood in your way. _You_ never killed anyone. So just… put down the dagger. Killing won't solve anything."

Frisk showed hesitation. They knew that this was a bad idea. But, the one thing that made them stop was their trust in their brother. He was right, they weren't a killer. And neither did they want to kill anyone. It just wasn't them. "Asriel, just… please be careful." They pleaded, lowering the knife.

The goat monster nodded his head, "Thank you Frisk… I can handle this, I promise." Frisk wasn't too sure, but hesitantly nodded. However, what Asriel didn't notice was that they were still ready to protect him if anything went wrong.

When Asriel started advancing slowly, panic began rising again. Why was he coming closer? I couldn't be saved. There was no possible way to save someone that couldn't be redeemed. "S-Stay away from me!"

I knew he wouldn't listen. Why must he always have faith in me? The room wasn't all that large, but this felt like an eternity, watching him slowly inch closer and closer. The steps he took were incredibly small, as to not startle me. "I want to help you." His voice was so sincere. "You don't have to be scared. Just let me help you." _You can't help someone who is beyond redemption._

I looked for a way to get away from him. I was going to hurt him, and I knew it was coming. If he got too close… then… _No, I wouldn't let that happen._ I frantically looked for the stopwatch Chara had returned to me, much to my concern, it was on the other side of the room, behind Frisk. "Asriel, please, d-don't get a-any closer."

It was so hard to maintain control. I was trying so hard not to snap again, but at this rate… there was no way I could reverse the damage that had been done. I had to get away, but there was no escape. If I teleported, then I probably would lose control because I used magic. That was a main source of control loss.

He kneeled down in front of me, with a kind and loving expression written on his face. All Asriel wanted was for everyone to be happy… why that was? **I never got the chance to know.** "I understand that you think you'll lose yourself, but I believe you can do better. I _know_ that you are still a good person. Just please… I forgive you, now you need to forgive yourself."

Forgive myself? _Myself?_ **After everything I had done?** How was I supposed to forgive myself of everything. That didn't magically solve all the problems. "I-I can't."

A sympathetic smile widened on his face. "I can help you forgive yourself. You will never have to be alone. I'm right here." Then, he did one of the most stupid things ever. It was for good intention, but that triggered so many emotions that I couldn't contain. Asriel tried to embrace me in a warm hug.

It was a huge mistake. As soon as he invaded the space that separated us, I screamed, " **GET AWAY FROM ME!"** A darkened knife appeared in my hand as my form was stuttering. Asriel lurched back in surprise, but he was not fast enough. The knife slashed vertically.

And there was a shatter.

The shatter of a glass like barrier sounded throughout the room. Blue shards of Frisk's magically created shield slowly turned into wisps. The human had just saved Asriel from ensured death. _Thank God._

Both Toriel and Frisk looked in surprise to where I used to be sitting. Asriel tried to see as well, but was in a state of shock. I had just attacked him at full force. However, when the three looked to see if I was there, all they saw was a trail of dust, leading out a broken window.

* * *

I was running. If I didn't get far away, far enough that hopefully no one would get hurt, maybe I could subdue myself. Or, I could try to lock myself into the void. But, I knew I wouldn't make it.

While running, I failed to notice a familiar fish monster walking across the road. We both collided, sending me tumbling while she was able to skillfully balance on her feet. When she glanced to me, enraged, her expression softened into confusion upon seeing me outside. I wasn't supposed to be in public. "Hey! Punk? What are you doing out here?"

She received no answer. I rolled onto my heels, beginning a spring in the direction of Mt. Ebott. I had to make it. The void could contain me. It had to… As soon as I took off, Undyne began calling back. "Hey! Come back!"

Her calls met deaf ears. There was no way I was returning now. I was too dangerous. Not even Asriel could subdue what I had become. The woods leading to Mt. Ebott were ahead. Thank god some actual cover. I had already created a whole scene of worried monsters looking my way.

That was when I noticed a ping of magic in the distance. Sans was on me. That was the sound of teleporting, and Asriel was too winded. It had to be him. Unless Papyrus could somehow teleport and just decided to try now. Gaster Blasters appearing through the trees was all I needed to see to know it was indeed Sans.

He hadn't found me yet, but they were damn well on the prowl. There was only one move of action I could take, I had to start teleporting. Why hadn't I grabbed the stopwatch? Sure, it would have been risky, but it would have paid off. Yells of Undyne were heard behind me, as well as growls of Gaster Blasters.

I had to make a distraction to avoid them seeing the flash. Gold wolves made themselves known behind me, following my command and rushing through the woods towards my pursuers. When I heard a surprised yelp in the distance, I knew I had been successful. However, Sans was unpredictable. Even if Undyne was distracted, that skeleton could be anywhere.

Why did it matter? There was no reason to stop moving. I snapped my fingers, red light appearing around me as it began whisking me away to another location. When the short travel of teleporting was over, all of the chaos I had left behind me was gone.

 **It was because I could no longer hear it.**

 _I hoped that teleporting wouldn't instantly cause my magic to overthrow my emotions, because magic is tied to them. However, when I did…_ My form had gone completely black, a sickening red grin on my face. It was time for the grand show to begin. Did those fools chasing me really believe they had a chance? If anything, they were asking for a death wish.

Black, demon-like wings sprouted from my back as I flew to the top of the Mountain I had teleported to. Mt. Ebott was the place where all of this began, to I would use it to begin the end. The monsters, and humans, would have no clue what hit them.

I reached the peak, walking towards the center. I took one last look over the land that would be oh-so fun destroying. The small neighborhood I had left behind was in a confused flurry when looking down upon it, even though it was a long distance away. It was quite cute.

Drawing out my soul, it began pulsing with black veins weaving to the center. They didn't quite make it to the core of the smaller gold heart in the center, but that was fine. After all, this wouldn't take long at all.

I lifted my soul to the sky, my existence shining with ferocity. It began spinning, as a childish laugh wracked my body. Cities far and wide heard the oncoming laughter that would be upon all of them.

The skies turned red, the clouds turned black.

There is no going back.

 **AN: The Final Arc Begins**

 **Where all are judged for their sins.**

 **There is nowhere to run, nowhere to hide.**

 **No resets, no loads, no do-overs.**

 **Are you prepared?**

 **Update schedules have been modified to once a week, and if you're lucky, maybe twice.**

 **I've opened a blog for questions and submissions on tumblr. You can also ask for me to draw a character(even tho I suck). On tumblr search "bennetthedrummer" to find it.**

 **Are you ready?**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing off**


	49. Chapter 50

**Chapter 50: Panicked Fear**

One Hour After the Player's Awakening

Screams of confusion could be heard sounding from everywhere. There was no definite place to tell where they were coming from, because it was nearly everyone who was scared. The feeling of despair was felt in the souls of both humans and monsters. No one knew what the skies meant. The only thing they knew was something was coming, something powerful.

The humans were already having it bad. Police forces were trying to maintain order in the humans in Ebott City. However, it was proving ineffective as the police themselves were terrified. When that darkness spread across the world, everyone felt the same feeling of fear that gripped their souls.

A spiral of black swirled around the tip of Mt. Ebott. The sun had taken on a dark shade of orange against the red of the sky. The light cast upon the world gave the atmosphere of madness. Some thought it was the end of existence, others tried to ignore it, saying it meant nothing. But, even they couldn't deny that they felt fear.

This was only the initial stage. There was a suspicion that monsters were behind this. What else would be able to cause such a change in the world? Monsters had emerged from the Underground months ago, but this had never happened before they came to the Surface. This only added up to being their fault.

Despite all of this, there was no explanation that could properly describe what everyone was seeing. Monsters seemed like the best thing to place the blame on, but it just didn't seem… that they would be able to cause this. Atop the mountain was definitely something dangerous, and they had to have a confirmation on what was there. It was a stupid decision really, trying to get in range to see what monstrosity is altering the world.

The Royal Guard had finally been assembled, trying to get everyone to calm down. Monsters were just as panicked, looking for loved ones in the fray of confusion, similar to humans around other cities and passerbys in the monster's own smaller land they received months ago.

Undyne had the most on her mind at the moment. On top of maintaining order, she had the nagging feeling of what was on top of that mountain. She wanted to deny it, and she wanted to believe it wasn't true. However, one thing led to another, and there was only one answer. _Me._ I had run by, and my whole entire body was changing.

Just to confirm her suspicions, when she ran to get Toriel, there was a broken window. She knocked once, twice, and eventually went into the house on her own. There was only the sound of crying coming from the upper level. When she got to the top, the site was a hard one to take in.

Chara was struggling for breath, but they were upright and still alive. Tears stained their face, branching out in different directions. Toriel was slouched over Asriel, who was laying on the floor. The warrior prayed that he was simply stunned by something and hadn't… fallen down. Much to her relief, he was fine. His emotional state couldn't say the same. The prince was wracked with fear and sadness. One emotions screamed loud and clear, betrayal.

Frisk was staring out the window, gritting their teeth in anger. Something had to have occurred between us. There was no other explanation. Undyne had caught everyone's attention, "What… happened here?" Was the first thing she asked.

No one wanted to answer the question. The events were so unexpected. And, as soon as she asked the question, Asriel broke down again in tears. Toriel's attention had been diverted, having to try to comfort the trembling boy. Sympathy rose in Undyne's soul, but she did not want to make matters worse.

Frisk stepped back from the broken window, facing Undyne. Their expression was cold and serious. The only time Undyne had seen this was… ... she couldn't remember. The human spoke, tone seemingly demanding, "Undyne, you have to get everyone to safety. He's going to come back."

"Who?" Undyne summoned a spear in her hand. "I'll grind them into a pulp!"

They grimaced, looking away. Asriel was trying to take slow breaths, but failing to contain himself. Frisk decided it was best if they didn't use my name. "Did… any humans pass by you? Any familiar human?"

Her theory had just been confirmed. "You don't mean…" Undyne trailed off, looking to Frisk for some sign that this was some sick joke. No such thing was given. "Why? He… he was so happy. What is this punk thinking?"

Chara was the one to speak this time. While they were slow with talking because of the pain, they still were able to manage. "Bennett… he… is no longer himself. He-, no, that thing that he now is will… come back…"

"Stop saying that it isn't him!" The yell came from the other human in the room. Undyne jolted in surprise at Frisk's tone. Frisk was normally never one to get angry so… easily. "That is the real him. This whole facade that you think is the real him, was a lie. You can't justify what he did with full knowledge of the consequences."

"Frisk…" Chara's expression was shifting into one of anger. "I can't justify it, you're right. But he was trying to make amends when he remembered everything."

Undyne's head darted back and forth between the two humans fighting between each other. She had no clue what they were even referring to. Frisk's eyes narrowed, "But look where that got us. There are no more resets Chara. If anyone dies, we can't go back!" This just made the fish monster more confused. What were they talking about?

"Listen, would you two just stop fighting?" Undyne commanded, successfully gaining the two's attention. Now that she had their focus, she continued, "I have no idea what you two are talking about. Whatever it is, we need to get everyone out of here before we even consider arguing. Lives are at stake here, and you two aren't helping our cause by butting heads with each other."

Finally, Toriel gave her input on the situation. She looked between her two adopted children. "She is right. We need everyone safe from what that was… I-I don't quite understand what was happening, but… everyone needs to be safe before we find out what has been done to my child."

"What do I do your majesty?" Undyne inquired, "Should I warn the humans?"

Toriel simply nodded, turning back to her son who was still in tears. "Get the Royal Guard to contact human authorities. We can not let this escalate. Tell them to get everyone to safety."

"Should I alert their military forces?" The monster asked, turning to the door and getting ready to hightail it out of there.

The boss monster looked down to Asriel, who was shaking his head back and forth. She sighed, knowing that despite everything, Asriel did not want to see me hurt. The bond between us had grown so strong, that even if I mercilessly attacked him, he still believed in me. Despite his protest, she nodded, "Tell them to be ready if any action is needed."

Undyne saluted her with pride, "Got it your highness, we won't let this get out of hand." With that, she charged out the door, red ponytail trailing behind her. She did not stay long enough to see Asriel's struggle against Toriel's commands. What was done was done, and no one else would die if it came down to a fight.

The Captain of the Royal Guard did not want to get into a fight with me. For one, I had proven to be able to beat her in training rounds on the first try. Which, was slightly terrifying for anyone. Then, there was the fact that she just couldn't bring herself to the reality that I had gone corrupt. It just didn't seem right.

As soon as she exited the house, matters had gotten worse in the streets. People were pushing and shoving to find others lost in crowds. The Canine Unit was struggling to even get their attention and maintain order. Everyone was in a craze, desperation evident in everyone's souls.

Using her one good eye, Undyne was able to spot her second in command, Red. The agile Canine was already bounding towards her, panting heavily. She came to a skidding halt in front of Undyne, gasping for breath. "C-Captain Undyne! We… we can't reach anyone. They are too much in a frenzy to listen."

Thanks for stating the obvious Red. "Red, I need you to start using magic to get them in the right direction. We need them heading to Ebott City for shelter. I have to alert everyone there."

"But- We don't even know what we are up against. We don't even know if it's a real danger at all." Red argued, arching a brow. "What if this is some surface thing that occurs randomly?"

"Red…" She contemplated whether to tell her that I had miraculously come back to life and she had no idea. Making a hasty decision, she decided against it. No pain during the inevitable fight would be needed. "There is something neither human nor monster up there. It's going to come down soon, and we need everyone in shelter."

Sighing, Red gave in. "All right, but if this is some false alarm you owe us all one!" She snapped her fingers, sentinels manifesting beside her. "ALL RIGHT PEOPLE! ORDERLY FASHION!"

Undyne took to running to the city. It would be much easier to avoid traffic, and she was extremely agile and could endure the trip without breaking a sweat. It was her best option. However, when she was about to get moving, she ran into none other than Papyrus. However, the skeleton seemed overjoyed to see her.

Why this was? She was unnerved when hearing it. His tone was serious, and no longer in a loud volume. "Undyne… I-I can't find my brother anywhere."

She didn't have time for this. But, Papyrus was her good friend. Undyne couldn't just leave him hanging. "He may be somewhere in the crowd. Red is trying to get them to calm down. You should just get to cover and he will meet you there."

"But-" He paused, gazing at his hands. That normal frozen grin was gone. "You… you know how Sans is. He only has one HOPE. He could get hurt…"

"Listen, Paps." She laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "I'm sure your brother is fine. He's probably just napping in an unusual place again… Just… get to shelter. I don't want you to get hurt…"

He was hesitant to go with Red. However, after considerable thinking and Undyne's praying, he finally decided. "I will not leave my brother in the open. If there is truly danger, I will make sure he is all right." Papyrus fondly looked towards the mountain. "I know my brother, and he is probably doing something irrational… We are brothers, and I will stay out here to help him, no matter what happens."

"Paps…" Undyne had the same suspicion on where Sans was. He was a powerful type, very powerful. For a one attack and one defense monster, he could fend for himself. Papyrus, however, she didn't know if he understood what he was getting himself into. Although, she could not stop him from going off to finding his brother. "Just… don't die on me… okay." Her grasp on his shoulder grew tighter as her toothy grin widened. "Or I'll give you something to die about!"

The skeleton's grin returned, his eyes dancing with determination. "NYEH HEH HEH!" _There was the regular Papyrus…_ "THE GREAT PAPYRUS SHALL NOT LET YOU DOWN UNDYNE!" Before she could make a response, the skeleton was already off towards Mt. Ebott. She tried calling after him, but her calls met deaf ears, or lack thereof.

Undyne grimaced, praying that Papyrus would be all right.

* * *

Two Hours After the Player's Awakening

Red strings weaved through the air, groping for anything to latch onto. They cracked like whips when reaching their full extent before coming back for another run. Black smoke completely blocked out the area on the peak of the mountain. It cloaked me from anyone who was trying to see me. To see the darkened human-like figure I now was.

Luckily, they all would be seeing terror soon. From here, I could hear the confused screams resonating around me. It provoked me to laugh at how desperate they were. Soon, I would be able to see that in person. Why was I waiting? You may ask this… However, what would be the fun in that? This little game of Hide and Seek needed some time to get started. After all, I always liked harder difficulties.

The Reset button had been destroyed, so I could only do this once. That was fine. It only meant that Frisk was powerless to undo what I had begun. Many Frisks would… My plan was simple… Erase this world and move onto the next. Total erasure was all I longed for. **It was revenge.**

But, to do that, I needed at least a LOVE of twenty. That would be simple in my current state, as no one would really be able to stand a chance. However, while erasing the world was an easy objective to achieve, there was one thing I had not accounted for. How would I get to other timelines after?

I needed the power of a god. But, other timelines were far more powerful, and some were even dedicated to killing gods. That would simply not be enough. So, what about seven billion? It was just what I needed to find total erasure, total peace… And no one would even have a chance to stop me. Not one person, in any universe, would be able to stand a chance. Plus, more fun in this timeline…

In order to reach the timeline where all of these came from, all branches needed to be destroyed, and every single soul in them needed to be claimed. If I had billions of more power than a god, I could wipe them all out in but a single slash. My main target was simply the original timeline. It is known to some as a harbor of pain, some as a beacon of hope. It's known simply as "Reality." It's where I came from, and where I would end this genocide. _No one would be left standing._

Then, I could finally have revenge. I would be able, with my power, to erase all of the pain. It was perfect.

Looking up to the sky, I took a deep breath with giddiness. _This power had corrupted me completely._ It was time to begin. LOVE would be the best option first. And who was I to deny monsters a death wish? They had given me this false hope… And now, I'd diminish theirs.

The smoke around me faded into the sky, allowing anyone watching to see me. Fear was a variable I would exploit to my interests. When I gazed around the peak, one monster caught my view. I had been expecting this, but oh how fun it would be to get him out of the way first… Sans the skeleton decided he would try to care…

His left eye socket lazily opened, that stupid grin widening. With a small wave, he gave a sickened laugh. "Heh… so…"

" **Skip it."** I commanded, red strings appearing in my hands. " **Skip the whole monologue about how you told me, warned me… tried to forgive me. Because I accept that fully Sans. I don't give a bloody crap about how you care about protecting your friends now…"**

I had expected to strike a nerve, but Sans remained still. Wind began howling around us, setting the mood of a dramatic fight. He spoke again, this time not getting interrupted. "Nah… I was just coming to ask… Do you really not care about us?"

The question was simple. And so was my answer, " **Is this a joke? Of course I don't! It's just me, the Player."**

"Do you really just think we are toys, after the memories you shared with us…?" He seemed unfazed by my response.

Gritting my teeth, I gave him a loud and clear answer for the second time. " **Memories? All I remember is pitiful monsters not striking me down before you doomed yourselves. All I remember is how fake you all were…"** A giggle escaped my lips as that sick grin escaped my lips. " **In retrospect, you were just the same as the humans that used to be with me… DARK. SELFISH. IGNORANT. I see it under your facades. You're no different from me… We're all evil, and I've come to erase it."**

"Funny, because you seemed ecstatic when seeing Asriel again." That hit me dead on. However, I didn't show the change in emotion. He seemed to have noticed anyway. "You are so broken now… to the point where you think the love and kindness you received was fake…" His empty eye sockets opened, a death stare sending chills down my spine. "Because, believe it or not, even after you nearly killed him… Asriel still thinks you're a good person. That's why I didn't kill you when I had the chance…"

" **Then, Asriel is naive."** My voice was filled with disbelief, but I was trying to temper it. " **If he was not so stupid, he would have never trusted me, and never formed the bond we have…"**

"He nearly killed himself because he thought you were dead…" Sans continued, that grin widening even further. "He cared about you that much, and you still deny that he is an idiot? If anyone here is stupid, it's YOU." His eye flared blue and yellow, his voice growing louder. "You were the one who was too blind to see we wanted to help you. You were the one who denied our love. You were the one who gave up any chances of hope." Sans grew more confident, taking a step forward. "No matter how much you try to place the blame on others, it's all your fault."

The words hung in the air, echoing through the mountain peak. I had been reduced to utter silence, shutting my solid red eyes, deeply thinking. We stood there, facing each other for what seemed like an eternity. However, my grin returned, eyes opening wide. " **Naw, you're the real idiots. You actually** _ **believed**_ **I had good inside me? LAUGHABLE."** I stomped my foot into the ground, fallen sentinels crashing through the earth. " **I am the player, the one who killed you all once. What made you even slightly believe that you could save me?"**

"Heh… maybe it was false hope." He took a few steps back, snapping his bony fingers. Gaster Blasters swarmed the air around him, lighting up with a left blue eye. "Either way, that doesn't change that I will not let you touch my friends…"

" **Too bad you're the only sensible one out of all of them."** I exclaimed with a laugh as my corrupted soul appeared on my chest.

He stood across from me, shutting his eye sockets. "It's a gloomy day outside…" He glanced to the side, "Humans are screaming, monsters are fleeing…" Sans faced back towards me, eyes sockets shut. "On days like these, monsters like me…"

I blinked, and gasped in shock when I opened my eyes. That little piece of crap… My soul was frozen in a small box, unable to move around at all. Gaster Blasters surrounded it, preparing to fire. Four options rested under the box, but that didn't matter when it wasn't my turn. Sans always knew how to exploit the rules…

He opened his eye sockets, empty voids being present. "Are going to give you hell…" And with that, he fired upon the trapped soul.

* * *

Gaster gazed wistfully at the gray door that would open to Waterfall. He could not leave unless he had a soul to remain stable. He had seen it all. My true being had finally awoken, and would rain terror on everyone.

As he gazed to the battle I was locked in with Sans, he watched as the skeleton made a foolish mistake. Sans tried to use an attack that broke their reality as they knew it. The bullet board was a very unstable item to use, as it isn't supposed to exist in their eyes. It is meant for the player, and the player only.

Sans did not understand that gravity of what using it would do. Souls can be put into them, but when you're up against the person who commands the code of their world… It could easily be turned against them.

The old scientist watched, praying that his son would not die in this fight. There were no more resets… so this was it. It was the beginning of the end...

 **AN: Sorry the chapter wasn't longer! I didn't have enough time to make it and my left arm is cramping...**

 **So, we reach the second chapter of the Player Arc. This will be interesting...**

 **I hope you all are ready for feels, because you're gonna get swept away in a sea of tears.**

 **As for people wondering about this power the OC now has, keep in mind he has now come to his "Player" status. Players control the coding of the world as implied by the last scene. However, this doesn't mean they can control quite everything without extensive digging into the data. So he can't just wipe out everyone with a single command, as that would delete him. And humans are not in the code...**

 **Also, go check out my tumblr. Search on tumblr "bennetthedrummer" and give me a request, submit fan art, or ask the characters a question.**

 **Have a great Thanksgiving you guys!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing Out**


	50. Chapter 50 Part 2

**Chapter 51: Forgettable**

Impossible…

He was so confused, staring at the searing beams of white light that cut across my soul. The health that rested below the battle box was unaffected, damage not being taken at all. How was this happening?

A laugh was heard from over the roar of the Gaster Blaster. It came from me. Red strings whipped through the air, catching him off guard. He was barely able to dodge the oncoming attack, sliding to the left before they could touch him.

That was when he realized a fatal error.

The strings took a different route instead. They wrapped themselves around his Gaster Blasters. A terror gripped at his soul when the eyes of his Gaster Blasters turned a dark shade of red. I was able to turn magic against him. The smoke from the initial blast finally cleared, revealing my sickening smile looming in the distance.

" **Really, Sans? Trying to use the bullet board against me?"** It was quite funny in my eyes. " **You do realize I played that way when toying with your friends…"**

Sans gritted his teeth, eye flashing blue and yellow. Eight Gaster Blasters had just been taken from him. "Eh, I was just seeing how many hits you could take." He lied. Inside, he was cursing himself for not realizing sooner. Karmic Retribution would not have much effect, as I was only a LOVE of 5. Invincibility frames were also allowed…

Red strings once again lashed out, wrapping around the bullet box. It expanded to its normal size, giving me room to work with. " **I know you're bluffing, Sans."** My HP became unreadable. " **It was quite foolish of you to try and fight me alone…"** The Eight Gaster Blasters I had obtained hovered over my head. I whipped out a red spear, one I had stolen from Undyne previously.

"Stealing our magic, huh? Sounds a bit familiar?" Sans broke the fourth wall casually.

" **What can I say…"** I shrugged, grinning madly. " **I take notes."**

*Player LV 5 ATK 18 DEF 99

*Controls the coding of this world. **Run.**

 **SONG: [Undertale Remix] Megalotrousle By: SharaX**

The Fight Option hovered in front of my hand. It flashed, signifying I chose the option. I decided to stay simple in the beginning. With the spear in hand, I charged forward in a flash. Sans seemed to be expecting it, jumping to the left. Red beams from Gaster Blasters followed my initial attack. A bead of sweat dropped down his skull, seeing his own weapons being used like this.

Sans flung his hand upward, a series of spinning bones blocking the blast from reaching. With his spare hand, he barely managed to turn my soul blue before I slashed again. The other seven Gaster Blasters all struck upon him as he barely managed to teleport out of the way, appearing on the other side of the summit.

He took no time to monologue, immediately trapping me in a normal sized bullet board. My soul remained blue, allowing him to change the gravity of the board and slam me to the walls. Using my free hand, I guided my soul to jump over the bones that appeared from the walls. It was a standard attack that I had died to more times than I cared to admit in past runs.

After so many times, this was just his standard attacks. What good did using the bullet board do for him? A fallen Sentinel made itself known behind him, firing a shockwave of blue. I had him right where I wanted him.

He had to freeze and let the blue attack pass through. The error was made evident when he was surrounded by the stolen blasters. In a futile attempt to block the beams, he summoned a protective Blaster around his body.

Cracks began forming, the beams relentlessly pelting the temporary protection. The Sentinel was firing shockwave after shockwave, not giving him any openings to teleport. Just to overkill, I summoned another to ensure he didn't have any more tricks up his sleeve.

That's when one of the most baffling events occurred. The cracks suddenly healed, with no explanation. Sans's grin widened, as a rainbow effect flashed over his soul for a split second before disappearing. Bones began rapid firing out of the ground, spinning in front of the beams. Two stray ones turned blue with a pang, passing through the relentless shockwaves. As soon as they reached the sentinels themselves, they flashed back to normal, jamming right through the center and successfully immobilizing the Sentinels.

I was forced to dispel all of my magic in the area to prevent anymore damage. Sans just grinned my way, balancing a bone on his finger. "Y'know, when you said you took notes, you clearly didn't do enough…"

" **Oh? Just because you were able to block a simple attack?"** I teased, but I was worried. That attack should not have been dodgeable, yet he managed to block the power of eight Gaster Blasters with just one. " **I can give you so much more hell…"**

"Debatable." He seemed too casual. "Go on, show me this "hell.""

*Sans is letting you make your move.

What was going on? I decided to check his stats, unsure of what I would see.

*Sans 1 ATK 1 DEF

 ***You feel a major disturbance…**

He still stood there, a blank expression on his face. Sans was waiting for me to fight. If he truly wanted me to fight him… **so be it.**

Strings expelled from my hand as I ran forward, the fight button flashing. Sans simply stood still, laughing as I summoned the corrupted blasters behind me. I stabbed with the spear, a blinding white light sweeping across the battlefield.

 ***The Disturbance Grows Stronger**

I shielded my face, trying to block the bright shining light. It finally began dying off, revealing a horrifying sight. Or, I caught a glimpse of what it was before falling to the ground. The whole entire mountain was shaking with ferocity. I was unable to regain footing because of the massive tremor.

In my peripheral vision, I could see bones flying up into the sky. If I had any idea where this was going, I was about to face an abomination. The magic sparking in the air told me that I was in for a bad time. Scratch that, I was about to be in one hell of a time...

I was finally able to look up, seeing one of the most terrifying creatures. _Holy crap was that a dragon?_ The size of that thing was a spectacle in itself. It had to be at least more than half the size of the mountain we had been fighting on. One thing to note was that it was entirely skeletal, with a Gaster Blaster shaped head. Blue horns jutted out the tops of them, raising to the sky. How was it even flying? Probably just Sans's magic.

There was not enough time to even think about the practical things when there was a giant dragon looming over you. Sans had never used this before. Although, that would be believable because of the size of this thing.

The skeleton himself was standing on top of the Dragon Skull, his eye burning with ferocity. He was using a LOT of magic to do this. The skeleton chuckled darkly, "Y'know, kid… if you did really take notes before escaping the void, you would have learned about one small aspect about these worlds your kind are so eager to destroy…"

A shiver ran down my spine. Summoning newly repaired Sentinels and Gaster Blasters for defense, I inquired, " **And what is this aspect you're taunting me with? That you have a bloody dragon in your defenses…?"**

"Hm… that's a start…" Sans clicked his non existent tongue. Or… maybe he did have one. He never actually opened his mouth much… or… _eh screw it I'm not some creep._ "Eh, I won't elaborate. Something about a few determined kids screwing with the Multiverse… causing some sort of Evolution…" He shrugged, shutting his eye sockets. "But, whatever… I'll owe them one at some point eh?"

The Dragon unleashed a massive roar, once again shaking the entire mountain. If I had to guess, surrounding areas were probably now wondering if it was Sans or I who was the offender here. Dragons typically wouldn't be depicted as… good creatures. " **Funny, too bad they aren't here to help you, hm?"**

He gave a judgemental stare. "Let's keep the fourth wall intact please…"

" **Wish granted."**

…

An awkward silence passed. "So uh… this was where I was supposed to have an over dramatic speech… but… I kinda forgot…"

" **... Are you serious…?"** _Sans, we are trying to have an over dramatic fight here, you're ruining the mood._ " **You had one job Sans… one job."**

"I don't do my j-"

" **JUST GET TO THE POINT!"**

"Geez, calm down…" _What even…_ "If you're so eager to fight, I guess I'll have to do." He finally got ready to battle again. With one hand in his pocket, and his left hanging out, the Dragon opened its maw and re-initiated battle.

*The REAL Battle has finally begun.

Sans always seemed to get the first move. I was not able to prepare a magical attack before a hot beam of white fire spewed from the dragon's mouth. Luckily, I was not longer restricted to a bullet box. I performed a roll out of the way, landing on my hands and feet. The rushing air coming from its wings was already enough to send me off balance.

"Y'know, you should've stayed dead kid…" He spat out, the dragon preparing another attack.

Maybe I could try to gain control of that beast. If I did, it would make this task much easier. Giving a sick laugh, I let strings fire from my fingertips. " **Now there we can agree!"** As soon as the strings tried to wrap around the dragon, bones spun around the tips, cutting them to shreds.

Sans wagged his finger back and forth. "Nope." The Dragon's eyes flashed orange, blue, then white. Seeing what attack this was, I began moving. Orange fire launched, blazing across the mountain peak. It quickly flickered blue, causing me to freeze in my steps. Another one of white began burning across the battlefield, but not fast enough to catch me.

What more could this thing do? I summed the Fallen Sentinels to my side, beams of fire launching towards the skeletal beast. One of its wings blocked the oncoming attack.

 **-0**

So, that wouldn't work. The skeletal beast roared in my direction, trying to knock me off balance. It launched itself into the air, swooping down and trying to swipe at me with its skeletal tail. It came crashing down, sweeping across the summit. I was forced to hop onto a sentinel, trying to go upwards to avoid collision.

I was not fast enough. The tail hit the Sentinel, sending me tumbling towards the edge of the summit. I was barely able to recover, flipping back onto my feet. However, it did take a chunk of HP.

 **10/50 HP**

Wincing, I gazed, confused. Why was my HOPE back to that of a human? Was it because I was a "human" in my time as player? Why did it matter? Strings wrapped around my HOPE, manipulating the code.

 ***Your HOPE has been restored to full!**

 ***You filthy hacker…**

The Dragon loomed over me once again. It spread out its wings, releasing yet another massive roar. Bones flew into the air, Sans joining in his own as well. They blocked out the orange sunlight, preparing to rain down upon me. I raised my red spear, awaiting whatever hell would rain upon me.

They all came in rapid succession, making me sweat in fear. I had never dealt with Sans on this level before… This was way stronger than anything I had dealt with. I'd probably face worse in other timelines if I got through this battle. Sans had always been depicted as strong, but this was ridiculous.

Bones spiraled around me, trying to puncture through my soul. Sans was able to protect himself with a Gaster Blaster, so why could I not do the same? I did just that, the protective Gaster Blaster deflecting all the bones. As they got stuck in the shell, red strings wrapped around them as well, turning them all to my side.

The onslaught relented, allowing me to dispel the temporary barrier. Sans was studying the bones I had just corrupted, stealing them for my own. "I see you just LOVE stealing my magic huh?"

" **And? It's called strategy. You'd know better than anyone…"** My array of bones collided with new ones that he summoned to the battle. " **I mean, come on. Using the one thing I have never seen against me, harsh."**

The Dragon flew up into the air, spiraling higher and higher. I took time to analyze, try to find an opening. I'd never dealt with anything like this before, and neither had I ever planned on doing so. This was such a large entity to even begin fighting… That's when I saw it. I needed to get this thing out of the air. The how was the question…

A sentinel came up under me, lifting me into the air. It was time for a little chase. If I could get close enough, maybe I could at least get on top of it. The dragon noticed I was in pursuit, leveling itself out and firing beams of hot, white fire in my direction. I quickly leaned to the right, getting out of harm's way.

There was only a little bit of room to move on this thing. To be precise, maybe one step. I had to use the spear to my advantage. Sans also was able to notice me coming, sending bones through the air. Fire came to life at my sides, launching to connect with the bones. They should have stopped the bones because of the immense heat, but they just went right through, harmlessly.

If they got to me, I would have nowhere to go. Just blocking with the spear was bound to send me off balance. _If only I could still turn my soul green._ I eyed the spear in my hand suspiciously. Undyne normally carried a spear that could change soul color… I was going to deeply regret this…

I aimed the spear directly at my soul, praying it would not kill me. This was a stupid idea, but it was the only one that came to my head in the immediate moment. I couldn't summon a blaster up here because then I'd be wide open. I needed the Sentinel to be moving while I blocked, rooted in place.

I stabbed right through my chest, not feeling any pain. It was successful. I twirled the spear in my hand, readying it for defense. The bones began circling around me, coming in from eight different directions. Okay, this was four more than Undyne's usual… That was fine, because I had two shields now.

A dark green shield came to life in front of me as I kept flying in pursuit. Bones started honing in on my soul, being effortlessly blocked by my two forms of shields. I was most experienced in the red soul department, but green was probably my second best.

A bead of sweat began dripping down Sans's skull. He raised his hand, two Gaster Blasters trying to stop me. They rotated around my sentinel, trying to find an opening in the shields. Both were failing miserably both times. Sans was running out of ideas…

His dragon decided to spin, making a violent charge directly in my direction. Sans had not realized that his dragon had made a fatal error. It's eyes began shining with white ferocity, as mine shone red. At the last second before it fired the beam, I leapt off the side of the sentinel.

The beam crashed through the Sentinel, forcing me to dispel it. Both Sans and the dragon had not noticed I wasn't on it anymore. His eye sockets darted around the area, searching for a fiery corpse, or just a teleporting human.

Why hadn't I teleported this whole time? Teleporting is a magic that can be felt with intensity. Sans would be able to locate me immediately if I tried to get on the dragon. But, I didn't need that.

The dragon let out a roar of surprise when it felt something wrapping around its tail. Red strings bound its tail, me being on the end of them. I finally had a lead on this thing. I would just hop up, using the Gaster Blasters to get me there, but I didn't want to risk this thing getting away. It was not an option.

It tried to fire a beam of fire at the strings as to cut me off. However, a blue shockwave came from a spare sentinel in the sky, freezing it in its steps. My own sentinel ending up taking away two points of my health, but that was fine.

Bones began swarming the air, trying to hit me rather than the strings themselves. I needed an escape route onto the dragon, fast. There was none.

The bones collided, piercing through my soul. Karmic Retribution stung. Thankfully, it wasn't enough that would kill me.

 **24/50 HP**

I still tried to hang on. The dragon had me right where it wanted me. I had to get off. I still had one trick up my sleeve. The strings detached, allowing me to plummet. The fiery beam grazed my arm before I fell further.

 **22/50 HP**

Demon-like black wings sprouted from my back as I fell. Both Sans and the Dragon looked up in shock, seeing a brilliant ball of fire rising further into the air. Then, the shocking realization came that I was coming right down upon them.

The dragon tried to evade the oncoming attack. Then, for the second time, shock dawned on both entities. Blue shockwaves fired blast after blast, keeping them in place. Sans tired to fire Gaster Blasters and bones at the offending sentinels, only for protective shells to be formed around them.

There was only one option.

Both the dragon and Sans fired bones and beams of fire and light in my direction in an attempt to stop me. The intensity of my fire grew, melting the bones. I tilted my body, strafing out of the way of the beams. I raised the red spear, preparing for a final blow.

Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide…

Sans dodged out of the way, summoning a blaster to catch him as he fell. He and the blaster landed back on the peak of Mt. Ebott. My spear plunged into the skull of the dragon. It let out a roar of pain, falling from the sky. My sickening grin curved upward even more, as it crashed into the side of Mt. Ebott.

It slowly faded to dust.

I gained no LOVE, but that was expected from a weapon. Thankfully, Sans would not be able to summon that thing again for a good while.

The skeleton himself was winded from the fall, struggling to get to his feet. I laughed, advancing on his crippled form. Blood seeped out of some of my wounds, but that didn't matter. It was not enough to be fatal.

He glanced up, holding his chest. Bones tried to pierce through the ground to stop my advancement. I simply sliced the away with the spear. Sans was so weak right now. He could not get up, or even fight back. Using that dragon must have taken a large toll on his strength.

Now, I was right in front of him. He was vulnerable. I had just beat Sans… I had just beaten the toughest monster to handle. Laughing, I raised my spear to strike, " **It was fun Sans. Thanks for making this interesting."**

 **-10947923**

Our eyes widened. I had not struck Sans. _That wasn't Sans._

The taller of the two, Papyrus, had just taken the blow for his brother. His hope drained in an instant, the skeleton falling to the ground in pain.

Sans caught his dying brother in his arms. His eye sockets were empty voids, but that grin on his face… had finally disappeared. "P-Paps… w-w-why?"

"I-IT'S ALL RIGHT BROTHER…" He didn't have much time left. "I… I COULD NOT BEAR TO… WATCH YOU D-DIE…" Sans was crying over Papyrus. My form began changing, turning back to that of a crying monster, sharing in their agony. The real me was still in there somewhere, but I couldn't gather the strength to fight it…

" **I hate to interrupt this touching moment…"** The player side of me had returned. " **But I require your EXP."** Papyrus let out another scream of pain as a spear plunged through his head.

Before he turned to dust, I will always remember his words. "I-IT'S OKAY… THERE IS STILL GOOD IN YOU!" His body somehow disappeared before the head I had skewered. "I ALWAYS WILL BELIEVE… TAKE CARE OF EVERYONE ELSE WHILE I'M GONE… WILL YOU?"

Dust filled the air, coating both Sans and I. Red strings sprung from my fingers, wrapping around his soul before it could shatter. I claimed the soul as my own, gaining the EXP.

*Your LOVE has increased!

I should have felt sorrow, sadness, or even grief. But, I felt nothing. I felt stronger.

Sans didn't even move. He held onto the red scarf that his brother had once wore, and emotionless expression frozen into his face. "So… that's it, huh? No more resets…" The reality came crashing upon him. "He's gone… you… you killed my brother…" I expected an attack of fury. But, I received none.

Sans had lost his final hope. Without me even attacking, he was turning to dust. "Heh… guess this is really the end…" He shut his eye sockets, that grin returning. "I know there'll be someone out there… who… will be able to bring you to your senses and stop this. Whether it's from another timeline, or if it's yourself… Either way, I'm still rooting for ya…" _What?_ He opened his eye sockets, the small orbs in them wavering. "Papyrus… I'm coming…"

A second pile of dust made itself known on the ground, a blue jacket being left behind.

*Your LOVE has increased!

Another soul joined with me, granting me his power. My love had already risen to ten. My normal grin was gone, being replaced with a grimace. I wanted to feel sadness for them… I wanted to say I was sorry over and over, to plead things would somehow stop. But, I held onto the LOVE that rested within, and vanished from sight, leaving the abandoned jacket and scarf behind...

* * *

Both monsters and humans watched as the skeletal dragon fell from the sky, defeated by the darkness that kept growing. Hearts sunk, and everyone now knew just how powerful this foe was.

Undyne was leading everyone to safety, while Asgore was tasked with talking to the human government. They needed help, fast. If that could not stop me alone, then there needed to be extra firepower.

In the group that was being led to the safehouse, the rest of the Dreemurr family was walking in silence. No noise was made between them, except the occasional sniff of Asriel. The poor kid was still in denial, nearly reaching that second stage of anger. But, he just could not come to terms with what had become of me.

Frisk and Chara were not taking it as bad as him, but they were both winded from the initial attack. Chara had been to silence for a long time now. They believed I could fight this power inside of me, but I proved them wrong. And now, they were certain that Sans had been killed on top of that mountain.

Frisk knew this too, and was struggling to hold back tears. No one other than Undyne knew Papyrus had chased after him. The warrior was praying that he would return safely. They would never be answered… Toriel had the feeling that it was Sans who had just fallen on top of that mountain, and she too was experiencing the aftermath.

It just seemed that everything was turning hopeless.

But… there was still one thing that Chara had forgotten. Sans contained the shard of Gaster's soul, as well as Papyrus. It would not be every shard, but it could be enough to bring the scientist back to subdue, and trap this power. "Psst, Frisk." They whispered into the human's ear.

The smaller one nodded, showing they acknowledged their presence. "Yes… Chara?"

"We… we need to go to Mt. Ebott." Chara breathed, glancing to make sure no one else heard them. Frisk looked at them like they were crazy. "Sans had a shard of Gaster's soul. If it's still there, we may have a chance."

Frisk's eyes widened. That could work, but it would be risky. VERY risky. "I-It's a risk. But, we really have nothing to lose… d-do we?"

"Right…" Chara shut their eyes. They could not let anyone else die. That's what Sans would have wanted. "Get out your stopwatch, and let's go." On command, Frisk pulled out the time manipulator that I had left behind. Both Frisk and Chara watched as the crowd stopped in time, as they began moving towards the mountain.

When time started again, they were gone.

And a frantic mother was screaming for her children, calling for them.

But nobody came...

 **AN: I swear to god I've written so many Sans battles...**

 **Well, you won't have to sit through those anymore =)**

 **Also, credit to Ben10Extreme for the idea of the basis of this battle. Took a direct jab at his fic. If you read it, you'd understand why Sans was stronger. Seriously tho, not nearly as strong as his. I can never be dat good ;-;**

 **Also, that should be the only time I am not completely original with attacks. I tried to put a spin on the dragon. I have no clue how I did. I already have original move sets for the rest of the upcoming fights. Hope you're ready =D**

 **Chapters will be longer this arc if you did not notice.**

 **If you're wondering how he took Sans and Papyrus's souls when he is considered a monster, he is neither "monster" nor "human" in the current state.**

 **See ya!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing Off.**


	51. Chapter 51

**Chapter 51: Is it Right to FIGHT?**

Undyne was the first to notice Toriel pushing back through the crowd. The Captain was currently leading monsters to a safehouse where hopefully they could hide. It was hard enough to manage all of them being panicked. But now, even Toriel was showing immense signs of worry. What had gotten her so riled up? She was normally so calm and collective.

Deciding to check on Toriel, she asked Red to take the lead for now. She had placed more trust in the canine in the past month than ever. Red was happy to do whatever was asked of her anyway. That's why Undyne trusted her so much. She was enthusiastic and willing to do the job without backing down.

As Undyne pushed her way through the crowd, some monsters stopped her, begging for answers as to what was happening. She answered with the same thing each time. "We don't know." Some humans were in the crowd as well, as they were visitors of the neighborhood.

One woman stopped Undyne before she could get to Toriel. She had a little girl next to her, clinging onto her hand. Undyne thought to herself that it was the woman's child. Many families were being affected by what tragedy had struck this world. This was just one of the many. "Excuse me…" The woman whispered, catching Undyne's attention. "Do you have a moment?"

"Uh, sure lady." She was quite unsure why this woman was talking to her. It was most likely the need for answers as usual.

However, she received something much different. The woman glanced to the side in worry. "Be careful. All of you need to be careful." Undyne arched an eyebrow in question. She noticed, and lowered her head. "Some of us believe that it was your species that is causing this catastrophe… They may take it too far and try to…" She trailed off, unsure.

"It's all right Ms." Undyne reassured her. "That is not the concern right now. Our only concern is keeping everyone safe from whatever is out there."

"I… I understand." She lowered her head.

"Good, now let's keep moving." Undyne spoke, feeling a bit lighter inside. Why was this? She felt relieved, knowing there would be others on their side if anything went wrong. Hopefully, there would be humans like that willing to offer them help to defeat whatever was on top of that mountain.

As she finally neared Toriel, she now knew why she was freaking out. Frisk and Chara were nowhere to be seen. Undyne accelerated into a sprint, her soul beginning to twist in fear. They couldn't have run off, could they? It would have been a stupid idea, and Frisk wouldn't do anything brash.

But, that contradicted what she was seeing. They were completely gone. Asriel was still there, but the two humans were unaccounted for. Dogaressa was frantically trying to calm Toriel down. The boss monster herself was in tears, trying to break free from Dogaressa's hold.

The canine was trying to bring reason to her as Undyne approached. "Toriel, please… it's too dangerous to look for them." She had her paws clamped around Toriel's, trying to keep her stationary. "Please, your majesty, we need to get you to safety."

"M-My children are out there." The emotional turmoil she had been thrown into was nearly sparking magic through the air. "I can't lose more. I've… I've lost too many children in my lifetime. I can't-" Her breathing was getting sharper as she spoke. Hyperventilation from Toriel was something rare, and no one liked seeing it. She did not deserve to feel this pain.

"Your majesty…" Undyne interrupted the interaction between the two. She, for a moment, regretted trying to interact with Toriel. This boss monster was normally calm, but she was always persistent. Toriel's head whipped to her direction as soon as the title was addressed. That stare of desperation was crazed.

She was losing herself to this chaos. "Undyne! My c-children… they… Frisk, Chara…"

"Woah, Toriel, form words please." Undyne stated, putting a hand on her own hip.

It took a moment for the monster to compose herself. Toriel's emotions were running wild. "I… I was just walking with the crowd as you were g-guiding us. I looked away from my children for just a moment and then they…" She trailed off. "They were gone."

 _She had this happen to her far too many times. Six humans before Frisk had done the exact same… Asriel had left through the barrier when she had to leave the room when Chara died… All her children had walked away without her knowing…_

"Toriel… you can't go after them." She muttered, shutting her one eye. It would be far too dangerous for anyone to get near that mountain. "Sans and Papyrus… they…"

The boss monster nodded in memory of watching that dragon fall from the sky in defeat. Sans had fallen, fighting for them. He needed them to get out of there. But, then her eyes snapped open in shock. "Papyrus? H-How? What happened to him?"

Undyne bowed her head in shame. She had let this happen. It was her fault that she let Papyrus go after Sans. "He…" Tears sprung to her eyes. So many memories had been shared with the goofy skeleton, and now… he was gone. He was only dust in the wind. "He-... went after Sans, and didn't ever return."

So many had already fallen. How many more? Undyne knew one thing, she would not let her queen be another to fall. "Your majesty, if you went to save them… you would perish as well."

Toriel knew this, biting her lip. "I… I cannot let my children die, Undyne. I can't lose more…"

And, Undyne had made a vow to protect her friends. That was her goal. She would help them, and keep an eye out for them no matter what. It was a personal oath when coming to the surface. After all, it was the Royal Guard's job to protect those in need. "Then… I'll go after them." She felt regret worming into her soul as she spoke those words.

Toriel's eyes widened in shock. That couldn't happen. Undyne was strong, but Toriel was a boss monster, more capable of advanced magic. What would happen to the warrior if she were to come into contact with me? Or… what I had become. "No, you mustn't do that Undyne. What about Alphys? She still needs you. These people need you to help them."

"And that's what I intend to do Toriel." Undyne pounded a hand to her chest. "If I can ensure Alphys and everyone else a better future, if I can help the people of this world, I need to defend against that _thing._ "

"You'll die Undyne! Please, it is not worth your life!" Pleading, Toriel tried to bring reason to the monster.

The tables had completely flipped. "What? Is it worth the life of others instead? I would rather sacrifice my own life to save those of others Toriel. No one else will fall to this thing."

"... What will I tell Alphys? What will I tell Asgore? What about Red? So many people still need you here." She reasoned, trying to find an opening in Undyne's logic. However, it was her job, and Undyne was ready to take the task into her own hands.

Undyne grimaced, clenching her fist. "Toriel… if this is the last time we see each other… Tell Red that she needs to take responsibility from now on. Even if she is a child, she is capable of leading these people. Asgore and Alphys are speaking with the humans in Ebott City… so… tell Asgore that I said thank you for him being a friend to me… and having faith that I would grow stronger."

 _But there was one more._

"I… I wish I could talk to Alphys right now… and tell her this myself…" Undyne knew that if she tried to stop me, the odds would be against her. She knew she was walking straight on the road to death. "But, we don't have time… Just tell her I love her, and to live the future for me. Got it?"

Those words sounded so heroic, even to Toriel. There was no stopping this determined warrior. "Undyne I-... you can't. You cannot throw your life away."

"See ya, Toriel. And take care of Asriel, got it?" She asked, flashing a determined gaze to the young boy. His expression was emotionless. But, there was one thing that stood out about him. He showed no anger… _He would have made a great king._

Before Undyne could be stopped, she raised a spear to the sky, and began her charge to Mt. Ebott. "If I die today, I'll be sure to beat the crap out of this deranged kid."

* * *

Frisk and Chara were both panting while they began to reach the top of the mountain. Neither lost the determination to keep moving during the journey over here. The stakes were too high for any time to be lost.

Signs of damage riddled the area. Trees had been snapped off of their stumps in certain areas. Magical residue was in the air, most likely from the battle that had taken place. Then came the worst feeling ever. _Dust._

The dragon had no doubt been reduced to dust on the mountain. Being that its size was massive, it caked the side of the mountain with dust. However, it didn't reach the top, as it died on the side when crashing into it. It wanted to make both humans throw up in disgust. The feeling of it caking them as they walked didn't help their cause. It felt too familiar.

As they began nearing the top, dread filled both of their souls. There was no fighting behind heard at the top. The feeling of magic was completely absent. That either meant Sans was able to win after the dragon fell, or… Neither wanted to finish the thought.

The summit was in sight. A sickening feeling churned at Frisk's stomach when they continued. They did not want to see what was waiting for them at the top of the mountain… Despite this, they kept moving with Chara, who was feeling just the same. They turned to Frisk, asking, "You ready?"

Frisk nodded, pulling out their worn dagger. Likewise, a glowing yellow revolver came to life in Chara's hand, for defensive reasons. They finally reached where the land evened out, nearly throwing up their insides at what they saw. A lone jacket and scarf sat, one on top of the other. One pile of dust was covering them. The two brothers had died, staying together even after death.

Shadows covered Chara's eyes, seeing what sin had been committed. Tears welled in Frisk's eyes, their hand going to their mouth. Papyrus and Sans were dead, and there was no going back on the act that had been committed.

The human ran forward, kneeling next to the pile of dust that used to be their friends. Dust sifted through their shaking hands, as their breath hitched in disbelief. "S-Sans? P-P-Papyrus…?" This couldn't be happening. _There was no going back on this. Resetting was… gone. Sans and Papyrus were never coming back._

 _They would never hear the horrible puns Sans made. They would never hear the antics of Papyrus as he offered them puzzles and spaghetti. Their friends were now dust in the wind, forever forgotten._

As the dust fell between their fingers, their teeth gritted. Hands clenched into fists as anger overtook their mind. Those tears had turned to ones of anger. The scarf and jacket clenched in their hands, remembering what did this. They recalled the trust they had put into me before. Yet, I was the one all along who had caused this. I was the true danger of this world, and they had failed to notice.

Now, they had paid the price dearly.

A crippled laugh coming from them escaped into the air. Chara let go of the gun in terror at the piles of dust. The yellow magic was dispelled into shining light as they began walking towards the dust piles. There was nothing that could be said.

However, Frisk continued crying in a mixture of anger and sadness. They could not accept the fact that the two skeletons were gone forever. As they felt Chara approaching behind them, a new wave of hostility washed over them. Through bared teeth, they spoke in full anger towards the other human. "Do… you still think he's a good person?"

Chara jolted backwards at the question, not getting any closer. Frisk had a malicious glint in their eye. "Frisk are… you okay?"

"Do you still believe there is a good person inside that thing that controlled us? Do you believe the thing that killed these two is able to come back like nothing happened?" Their face was contorted to sheer anger. "Do you believe he deserves redemption?"

"I…" They trailed off, eyes locked on the piles of dust that used to be Sans and Papyrus. "I don't know…"

"You don't know?" Frisk stood up, the dust pile being disturbed by the movement. "How can you _not know?"_ They raised the red scarf into the air. "Do you see this? He's a killer. He controlled us Chara. He made us kill, and now he's come to finish the job."

Chara felt tears prickling at their eyes, feeling Frisk's pain in this moment. Betrayal was something Chara had felt many times in their life. It was something they had to deal with, and something that we related to each other about. We had both been betrayed once, but now I had just broken everything they knew about me.

Something snapped in their soul. It must have been what Frisk felt. "I-I guess you're right Frisk…" _They remembered the feeling of being used, blamed for erasing the world. It wasn't them, yet they reaped the penalty._ Sans and Papyrus were dead, what would happen if I went on to kill their family? They did not want to imagine. "I… I want to believe that he's still in there. But, I need to put all of you first."

They grimaced, kneeling down to the pile of dust themself. "If he decides to threaten them, I won't show mercy, Frisk. I tried to learn how to show mercy to others rather than be inclined to fight… but… if he doesn't want mercy, I'm not giving any." They placed a reassuring hand on Frisk's shoulder. "I won't put your lives in danger just for the sake of sparing him. If he wants to fight, I'll give him a fight Frisk. Don't doubt me on that."

"Chara…" Frisk started, looking down at their knife. "What if you don't have to be the one to face him? What if Gaster is able to stay together long enough to take him down instead of you sacrificing yourself…"

The older human simply smiled. "That's the plan, Frisk. But, if it comes down to it, I will protect you all." They ruffled Frisk's hair playfully, trying to keep them in better spirits. Much to their surprise, it was returned with a strong hug from the smaller human. Chara's muscles tensed in surprise at the new feeling. "F-Frisk… what's wrong?"

There was one thing Frisk wanted to do. If this was the last chance that they would have to speak about this, then they'd take the opportunity. "Chara… I-I'm sorry… for blaming everything on you, for thinking you were a killer… I… I never said I was sorry…"

A small laugh escaped Chara's mouth as they smiled. "Frisk… you couldn't have known. And, that's still no excuse that I was the one who struck down all the monsters and humanity the times after… Even if that was my way of making you suffer the consequences…" A moment of realization struck them. "And… I guess I'm sorry too, for blaming the genocide path on your actions."

Neither moved, keeping each other in the warm awkward sibling hug. However, after a moment of silence, Chara mentioned something. "Frisk, there's another thing I have to tell you…" Frisk became attentive, perking up slightly. "When I offered the option to Erase… I… I wasn't offering it to you." A chilling cold washed over both of them. "I was offering it to him. I could feel the Player's presence, but I wondered if it was my insanity… Now, we really know what this is…"

"I-It's okay Chara. You couldn't have known." Frisk reassured them, a determined look on their face as they detached from the hug. "And now, we're going to stop it. Right?"

"That's the spirit!" As Chara tried to retain that smile, it quickly faded. "But… I need to extract Gaster's soul fragments from their… dust…"

Frisk's expression changed back to downcast at the mention. "Oh… o-okay. Should… we collect the dust for funerals?"

"I'm afraid I can't do that… The dust will probably have to all be used to create the soul fragment itself. It's not concentrated in the eye anymore, so I have to basically just u-use all of it that's still here." They explained, wanting to vomit.

"Um… oh… kay?" Frisk took a step back, looking slightly dizzy. "J-Just, let's hurry. I don't know how much longer I can stand all of this dust from that dragon."

Chara nodded, turning back to the dust. Shutting their eyes, they began the steps Gaster had taught them to extracting soul fragments. Placing their hands over the dust, they spoke in Wingdings. Frisk couldn't make out what they said as Chara's hands began glowing red, bringing the dust into two concentrated shards. They, with no doubt, were Gaster's soul.

Pulling out their phone, Chara summoned the capsule holding the fragments from a dimensional box the scientist had installed beforehand. It was one of their favorite features, as they had a habit of keeping chocolate in there.

Both the capsule holding the fragments, and the free ones themselves shone with brilliance. Frisk had to shield their eyes to block the blinding light. Chara swore under their breath, knowing that this could call the attention of anyone nearby, specifically me. When the light dimmed, the soul was three fourths of a whole. The other shards were across time, but this would be able to keep Gaster stabilized for enough time to hopefully put an end to my rampage.

"This is all that we need." Chara stated, gazing at it with wide eyes. "Now, all we have to do is-" Their eye caught a flash of red in the distance. They had the sickening feeling that they knew just what it was. And, red strings were flying beside the entity, heading right for Frisk. "FRISK! LOOK OUT!"

In a swift motion to protect their sibling, they grabbed them by the arms, and rolled out of the way with them. Chara was too slow. The strings were able to snag their ankle, pulling them upwards. The capsule containing Gaster's soul fell out of their hands. That familiar feeling of no longer being into control filled them. Frisk turned around, bewildered at what they saw.

I was floating in midair, strings wrapping around Chara like a puppet. An unamused expression was showing on my face. " **I leave for one second to toy with some police, who by the way, are now not in the land of the living, you all have a little pow wow without me. How rude!"**

Four souls had been obtained by me from the stupid cops that tried to stand in my way. They seemed to not learn from the first time that tasers don't work against a demon. Frisk hesitantly picked up Gaster's soul, putting it into their pocket so it wasn't in the open. Their knife was already in their hand as they pointed it directly at me. "Let my sibling go!"

" **Oh no! What's this? I am so terrified by a human with a butter knife!"** I mocked, showing fake expressions of fear. " **But in all seriousness, why would I fight you? After all, isn't it more fun to cause more pain in interesting ways…"** At this cue, Chara jolted forward from the strings around them. Their eyes dulled, turning into black voids as they lost total control.

The familiar buttons stood out in their mind that haunted them to this day.

[FIGHT] [ACT] [ITEM] [MERCY]

Before their vision faded to nothing as they slipped from control over their body, they tried to call out to Frisk. "Frisk… r-run."

Immediately, Frisk stepped forward, not leaving their friend behind. Chara lost all consciousness, slipping into my full control. "WHAT ARE YOU?" They yelled, knife held in a death grip. "WHY? WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?"

" **Why? It's simple…"** My eyes snapped open, four yellow souls appearing in opposite directions. My personal soul flickered into existence on my chest. The black had begun corrupting the gold slightly. " **Because some idiot author told me to!"**

 _Okay, but in all seriousness, that didn't happen._

" **I'm doing all of this…"** A spear appeared in my left hand, turning Frisk's soul green so they couldn't flee. " **Simply."** The souls fired rays of bright light into opposite directions, before facing Frisk like guns. " **Because."** Gaster Blasters filled the air above me, charging light in their maws. " **I."** The puppet I had in my grasp formed a True Knife in their hand, speaking the last word for me. " **CAN!"**

* * *

"Live reports show that this magic wielder in the area is indeed, not monster." The news reporter spoke, standing in front of the police station where the murders had taken place. "There were no survivors in the station, and many families will mourn for their love ones that died…" She lowered her head in respect for them.

But, coming into view behind her, there were monsters being guided by none other than Red to the safehouse. This woman, was the same one Undyne had spoken to. "As you can see, the ones behind us are in fear as well from this unidentified foe. I talked to one of them myself as they were leading us here. It was actually the Captain of the Royal Guard herself."

She paused for a moment, looking into the crowd with an unsure expression. "She may be far into it… but I will simply recap. The thing that has killed these four men is indeed not monster. It looks more human-like, but has too much power to be considered one of us. King Asgore and Royal Scientist Doctor Alphys are speaking with the President this very moment to find out the next course of action."

"We have been notified that everyone needs to stay inside, shut your blinds, and hide. This thing can strike at any moment. And remember one more thing. Humans, do not blame monsters. Monsters, do not blame humans. We must stand united against this opponent in hopes no more lives will be lost." The report ended, leaving many families in panic and shock.

But, it was one simple thing that the reporter did not catch that made them so terrified. In the background, behind the police station, stood Mt. Ebott miles away. Some were able to make out yellow beams shooting out, right before the report ended. Others claimed they could see me as a matter of fact.

However, one thing was for certain… That fear was replaced with responsibility, as many either prepared to defend themselves, or order others to safety. They would stand united, and protect as many lives as possible.

One thing was for certain, that mountain still had one more death in store on top of it. Sans and Papyrus were not the last.

 **AN: I'm so hyped to write next chapter!**

 **Although, exams are coming up fast, and I need to focus on those. Updates may still come out though! So be prepared for the feels train!**

 **Sorry if the chapter was not my best work. I had a heated argument with one of my "friends" today, and told him how I really felt about him bashing me for writing. I won't go into detail, but it took a toll on me.**

 **And, now my mom knows I write fanfiction. Guess what? She fully supports it as long as I don't do anything MA. This came as a shock, but she has literally stated she is so proud of me for this. We even had a conversation about me learning to program. :3 So, that changed the mood for me at least a bit.**

 **But, I may have just lost a friend, and my sanity around them.**

 **So, that sucks. But, anyway, tune in for the next chapter!**

 **I'm hoping to have this done by New Years Day, so fasten your seatbelts! We are going for a ride!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing Off**


	52. Chapter 52

**Chapter 52: Battle Against Broken Heroes**

Entry 1: The power of the one known as PLAYER. This power is not only destructive, but it is nearly unstoppable. Me, along with other scientists in the human race have come together to see if there is a counter…

Entry 2: Asgore is talking with the supposed "President" of the humans as they call it. Apparently, he is trying to convince help from human forces with the predicament. This problem is a threat to the entirety of this world. We need to all fight together.

Entry 3: Asgore returned. Human forces have agreed to assist against the one who calls himself PLAYER. It's a blessing that they were so understanding. Humans aren't as bad as we used to make them out to be… If only our peace wasn't interrupted. Now, there is something out there that wants to not only destroy monsters, but humans as well.

Entry 4: Monsters have just arrived in the city. No casualties have been reported but six. … Why? Why did it have to be Sans and Papyrus… I mean, yes, I am sorry for the humans who died and their families… Nevermind, we need to focus on helping the rest...

Entry 5: Frisk and Chara are missing. As if matters couldn't get worse, Undyne went back for them. I… I don't want to think about what will happen to them. Right now… I think I need to get back to work on finding a counter… We don't have much time.

* * *

 **Song: Absolute Megalo (A Megalo Strikes Back Remix) by Mentalgen Gentalmen**

The world seemed to focus in on the battle. Darkness gathered in the edges of our visions, seemingly trapping us in this battle. Frisk's soul was green, inhibiting their ability to flee if needed. They were right where I wanted them. But, the joy of killing them wasn't going to be mine. After all, I wanted to make this interesting for the both of us.

Chara was forced against their will to move forward in a challenging manner. They were no longer the one in control. The fear in their soul pulsed through the strings. Wasn't revenge so sweet?

Frisk still was standing across from me with their knife in hand. To be honest, they looked quite pathetic, trying to stand up to me. As they tried to stay strong, you could still see the fear etched into their face. How much longer until their determination would break? It was time to test the theory.

" **You know… Frisk. How different am I from you?"** I asked the question, allowing them to ponder on the true meaning of the question. I remained idle as Chara unwillingly raised their hand to strike. Frisk was quick to respond by creating a blue shield in the air to defend themself. They resisted the hit, using the magic Asriel had given them to defend themself.

A yellow gun spun around Chara's finger, pointing at the human. Frisk held their shield up again, only for red strings to wrap around it. The shield was crushed into shards. The magical fragments were forced back into their locket. The bullet fired, spiraling right into Frisk's soul.

10/20 HP

They yelped in pain at the intensity of the attack. That definitely would have killed them, but it had only done half of the normal damage. Granted, that was more than any monster had been able to muster in one hit. Glancing to Chara, they located the reason. Unlike me, Chara didn't have the intent to kill.

Frisk checked my stats, trying to see just what they were up against.

Player: LV: 10, 160 ATK, 100 DEF 124/124 HP

*This is the one behind the screen, the one pulling the strings…

*Show him what true determination really looks like!

A yellow beam of bright light nearly grazed their arm. They rolled out of the way right on time, but still shocked nonetheless. Standing up, they noticed that I was simply floating midair, as if taunting them. " **I'd beg of you to answer that question. It will be quite amusing…"**

Gritting their teeth, they swung their knife to their side at oncoming strings. "I'm nothing like you." They dashed forward, making an alternate route to the strings binding Chara's body. "I don't kill for fun! I don't take away lives of innocent people!"

" **Yet you live with people who have…"** They faltered, losing their focus on getting to Chara. It gave me just enough time to command Chara to summon the toy knifes into their hand. " **And don't act like you didn't participate in that Genocide run."**

"Wha-" The toy knives passed through their soul. Forcing themself to stay still, they retorted. "I never… that was YOU!"

I flew into the air before slamming my palm onto the ground. A fiery shockwave erupted from the ground, forcing Frisk to leap into the air. " **Then… how did you gain LOVE? How did you strike with that killing intent?"** A Gaster Blaster formed behind them, charging a bright beam of light. " **Because Chara is setting a fine example of what happens when you resist my control…"**

"T-That's not true! I wouldn't kill my friends!" They yelled as they were forced to leap to safety to avoid the Gaster Blaster. "You were using me. I didn't do it. I'd never forgive myself if I did."

" **Playing the victim card now?"** The battle stopped momentarily. If I was going to really manipulate Frisk's emotions one last time, this would be it. " **Point is Frisk, you were curious to see the end. We both were. I was simply the one who pushed everything to its edge…"**

Chara tried to call out to them in a desperate attempt to save their sanity. "Frisk! Don't listen to him. He's trying to get into your head." I stole an amused glance to them from the corner of my eye. This was so cute, watching them struggle to stop the inevitable end. "Frisk, just try to flee! I'm a lost cause no-"

The strings tightened around their body, making them yelp in pain. Frisk gasped, "C-Chara!" Chara was suspended in midair, bones, spears, and fire threatening to impale and burn them. "Let them go!"

A maniacal chuckle echoed through the air. " **Really, Frisk? You expect me to let this traitor go?"** Now, they both were staring at me like I had lost my mind. Technically, I already had. " **Don't act like you don't know Chara…"**

"I-I don't know what you're talking about!" They exclaimed, feeling the strings tighten further. Chara really had no idea what I was referring to.

" **Oh REALLY?"** My eyes flared dangerously. The magic surrounding them threatened to strike at just the flick of a finger. Frisk tried to use the time to catch me off guard, but was quickly trapped by a bullet box. " **Interrupt again and Chara will face something worse than death."** I threatened, preparing even more weaponry around the suspended human in the air.

Seeing that Frisk wasn't making one sudden movement in fear for their friend, I turned back to the one I was really interested in. Chara was still struggling, but was beginning to find it even harder as I turned their soul green, just like Frisk's to take away their ability to flee if even given the chance. They glared at me, trying to show defiance. "What did I ever do to you? You and I both know we tried to care for each other. What ever happened to that?"

Shadows covered my eyes as a demented giggle escaped my lips. " **What ever happened? ASK YOURSELF!"** A bone rammed into their chest, making them yell in pain.

59/99 HP

" **Yeah, Chara! What happened to us sticking together?"** I pulled a spear from my hand, slapping them across the face with the blunt side.

49/99 HP

"STOP IT!" Frisk cried out, trying to fight to bullet box's restricting demeanor. It didn't matter if they moved. Chara would be killed either way…

Coughing up blood, Chara was unable to brace themselves for where the next hit was coming from. " **Without warning, YOU LEFT ME! YOU tried to kill yourself and left me behind a century ago. You** _ **abandoned me."**_ A searing hot beam of white light made them scream in agony as their HOPE dropped further.

20/99 HP

"I'm sorry! Please… stop…" They weakly called out, feeling their HOPE beginning to fall even further as fire burnt their soul.

10/99 HP

I was screaming in blind rage now. Worrying about Frisk or anything else was now out of my mind. " **YOU COME BACK, EXPECT ME TO PLAY NICE!"** The strings burned with ferocity, leaving marks on their wrists from the heat.

8/99 HP

" **You left me… leaving Asriel behind…"**

3/99 HP

Both Frisk and Chara noticed my form flickering. One was the same player I always was, the other was the monster who had been their friend for a short while. "You forced me to continue…" Tears were streaming down my face, falling to the grass.

1/99 HP

"You made me come back to this pain…" The magic around Chara was falling to pieces. "Was it worth it, Chara? Was it worth my life for the cost of others…?" The strings around them fell to nothing, as my control over the player abilities had vanished. They could kill me, and now, so could Frisk. I was vulnerable.

*PLAYER is vulnerable…

Chara was gasping for breath, finally free from the strings. The lingering feeling of being controlled still made them tremble. Frisk, on the other hand, only had half of their HOPE gone. "Why?" They asked, clutching their knife even tighter. Frisk knew they could finally talk to the part of me that was still sane, and they wanted a clear answer. "Why did you kill all of them? Why did you have to threaten our ending?"

*You don't have much time

"You think I wanted it this way?" I laughed once more, but this one was simply broken. "Frisk… I don't know who I am anymore. I don't know what I am…" My fist began trembling as I grit my teeth. "I'm slowly losing who I am."

"And you expect us to just accept that? You expect us to think you're innocent in all of this?" Frisk questioned. Their knuckles were turning white from their death grip on the knife. "Do you think we will _actually_ forgive you?"

*YOU NEED TO MAKE YOUR MOVE NOW, FRISK

My soul began growing unstable yet again. "No…" A tear fell from my eye as my form began turning back to what I'd become. I'm telling you that there is no other solution but to **KILL ME."**

The four yellow souls came to life again in a four leaf clover fashion. Chara's control over themself was once again taken away. I resumed my player form, losing myself in the power again. Frisk seemed to be expecting this, but internally cursed for not taking the chance they had. I cocked my head to the side, Chara following suit. " **Ready for Round 2? This time, let's not have any emotional breakdowns, shall we?"**

* * *

Entry 6: After doing some research on the scans I got from his soul, we think we know why this is happening. It's so unusual. It's almost as if a corruption has made its way into the soul. At the time of the scan, it was only around the edges. What would it look like now?

Entry 7: We looked further in detail. Using the notes and the scan of the soul, we figured out what type of magical power he has. It's… not good. Destructive, summoning, pyrotechnic, electric, manipulation… how does he have this much magical power? It's… terrifying. Undyne… please be safe.

Entry 8: There is no doubt that this soul is powerful now. Not only does it have access to all that power, but it seems to have the equivalent power of a monster absorbing a human soul… This describes just how the PLAYER has a wide range of magic. But, is there any counter to this power? Earlier monster studies say that the power to absorb the human souls has no counter… Of course, death could stop something like that.

Entry 9: in times like these i wish gaster was here

* * *

 _Slash_

 _Miss_

" **Not gonna happen."** I taunted as Frisk's feet touched the ground. This had happened nearly ten times now. They had redirected their focus straight to the souls bobbing just above my head, trying to get rid of the threat. Of course, that wasn't going to happen.

They growled in anger, speeding off in my direction again. The four souls took aim, firing smaller pulses at the child. Their face turned static as they sliced through the bullets, yellow particles spraying through the air with a brilliant flash.

I shrugged at them being able to destroy the projectiles, shutting my eyes in the process. They snapped open, a blood red glow emitting from both. The gold seemed to try to fight the red in my right eye, but it was overpowered quickly. Chara's back arched in pain as their face did the same as mine. The true knife began shining blood red.

I forced Chara's arm to draw red lines with the knife. They sprung to life, flashing dangerously towards the direction of Frisk. The latter saw the attack coming, and quickly analyzed it for an opening. Performing a flip over the first, they caught me by surprise. I was expecting them to dodge to the side of it, so a Gaster Blaster intended for them missed. They slid under the second, rolling away from a third while still down. The fourth nearly hit them, only for a blue barrier to stop it from reaching them.

What they didn't know is how quickly I had adapted to their movement. Seeing a chance, I leapt forward towards the human, hand outstretched to their soul. Barely having time to react, they were forced to spin out of the way. However, this motion put them off balance. Chara was forced to summon a yellow revolver into their hand, aiming it at the vulnerable human.

The bullet pierced through their soul once again, dropping their HOPE even further.

1/20 HP

Chara was keeping me from killing them. It was irritating at best, but the shot had done just what it needed. Frisk was on the ground, struggling to regain footing. Wasting no time at all, strings weaved around their arms and legs, restricting their control over themself.

Grunting and struggling, they tried to escape. There was no escaping for them now. It was quite annoying just how easy that was. Wasn't interesting at all. " **Quite pathetic, really."** I gave a small tsk, waving my finger. " **You barely even put up a memorable fight. Disappointing…"**

"What even are you?" They questioned in fear, feeling the strings burning them each time they tried to escape. "Why do you have to hurt everyone?"

" **I don't HAVE to. It's simply because I CAN."** Both Chara and Frisk were suspended in the air before me. " **You should be thanking me, really. You'll be killed last if you don't pull anything."** Four options came to life in front of them both. " **Now, let's turn em all to dust. Just like old ti-"**

A flash of blue was caught in the corner of my eye. I had no time to react as two spears cut through the strings binding Frisk and Chara, letting them free. One stray spear cut right through my arm, spraying a strange black substance from the cut.

123/124 HP

Letting out a gasp of surprise, I looked back to see someone standing protectively in front of the two children. Great, look who had finally shown up. Undyne was standing in my way, guarding the two. She turned her head to the side, facing Frisk and Chara, "Go, I'll handle this."

"Undyne. He'll-" Frisk tried to reason, but was cut off.

"GO!"

Flames erupted in front of them, cutting off any escape route. I wasn't letting them get away so easily. " **Go you really think I'll let you get away?"** The four yellow souls fired beams of light, dancing around the group. " **Not on my w-"**

"NGAAAAH!" Undyne gave a battle cry, charging me with her spear. My focus on the magic in the area was taken off to focus on her. The fire keeping Chara and Frisk from fleeing was gone. As were they… "Did you really think I'd let you hurt those punks?" She waved a finger tauntingly. My soul pulsed green on my chest as I glared at her with a livid expression. "If you wanna touch them, you'll have to get through me."

" **Hee hee…"** My grin widened with sick humor. " **Aha… I beat Sans."** Fire engulfed the air threateningly. The yellow souls orbited Undyne, all aiming straight at her. " **What makes you think you even stand a chance now?"** Gaster Blasters took aim, gaining red glowing eyes. Bones began tearing through the ground, surrounding the battlefield. Two black wolves with red eyes touched the ground, growling with red magic.

"Psh, I don't." She waved a hand dismissively, taking off her eyepatch. A light blue beam in the shape of a spear shot out, showing the power she was hiding.

" **Wait… what are you doing?"** I questioned, shocked at what was happening. There should be no possible way she could take on her Undying transformation. That required abnormal amounts of determination.

Her armor began shining, forcing me to cover my eyes. "Defending the world against you!" _How?_ "I may not stand a chance… I may be weaker than Sans in pure tactics and wits…" The light began dying away, showing her in the center. "But I'll sure as hell put up a fight."

" **Oh sweet mother of-"** A clap of thunder shook the mountain, causing my balance to weaken. " **How?"**

* * *

Entry 10: Determination. I studied it so much in the Underground. The only counter of a soul so powerful, a being so powerful, would be determination. But, the problem with that is you have to overpower the being. I don't think you actually can…

Entry 11: High magical activity has been reported near Mt. Ebott. It's definitely signs of a fight up there. What's going on?

Entry 12: The only one smart enough to figure this out is Gaster. All of the human scientists are baffled by this power, and cannot pinpoint what it is. It's almost god-like. The only way to gain that would be seven souls. PLAYER seems to already have it without seven, and he's still growing stronger… Maybe Gaster was right in killing him the first time…

* * *

Frisk and Chara darted through New Home, trying to push the button on the elevator. Receiving no response, they gasped for air before continuing to run. Only one goal was in their mind, find Gaster. That was the only way to stop this _thing._

* * *

 **Battle Against a True Hero Metal Cover [EXTENDED] by Cheese Cheese**

Undyne leapt from the light, showing herself in her true form. I was, for once in this form, terrified. Her teeth had definitely gotten sharper. The armor protecting her had turned similar to her Undying form, save the lightning bolts and waves painting the arms. I didn't want to know what that change meant. The heart on her armor had still remained, turning green. What shocked me was that I could see her soul shining through. That wasn't supposed to happen.

Sans had done something similar a long time ago when we first met. I had assumed they was just because he was a skeleton, so you could see the light of it easier. This was definitely a different case. I did not want to know what this meant, at all. But, we both knew this was not going to be pretty.

Undyne charged forward, summoning a spear to her hand. I did the same, gaining a red one in mine. Our spears clashed, sending a red and blue shockwave blowing us back. I ducked as she summoned another spear to her other hand, trying to cut across my head. Landing on two feet and a hand, I recovered quickly, trying to pierce through her chest.

I was met with her striking with the spear. However, a rippling shock coursed through my body. _That's what the lightning meant!_ I took a few steps back, feeling the after affect of the shock. That _hurt._ " **W-What the hell?"**

"What? Did I shock you with tha-" Her face contorted to one of self annoyance. She had made an unintentional pun. "Forget I ever said that."

" **Oh, don't worry."** Red lightning came to life in my fingertips. " **This'll be a shocking experience for both of us."** Red and blue lightning clashed with each other, lighting up the sky with brilliance. The fire that had been waiting on my command tried to burn her.

Water suddenly burst from the ground dousing all of it within an instant. I glanced at her in shock at all the new magic she was exploiting. Her palms connected with each other as she seemed to be focusing on something.

Circles of light began spawning under my feet. Noticing the attack, I got out of the way before the spears would shoot up. _That's not what happened._ Lightning struck the circles, sending giant shockwaves from each bolt. Three individual shockwaves connected with my feet, administrating the same horrible shock through my body.

100/124 HP

Enraged, I thrusted my palm forward, the Gaster Blasters and souls firing at the warrior. She was quicker on her feet, making barriers of lightning in my way. Instead of waiting it out, she stabbed spears into the offending weapons. The souls all lost a bit of health, but survived the attack. She leapt through the smoke, trying to stab downwards upon me.

I leapt backwards, letting the two wolves pounce upon her. She shook them off effortlessly with two elbows to their faces. They crumbled to magic residue on the ground. " **Why won't you just die?"**

She grinned madly, hair blowing in the wind. "Because unlike Asgore," Spears began raining from the heavens. "I'm not a pushover." Putting my hands up in an X fashion, a sentinel made a barrier over my head to keep the spears from colliding. The ones that didn't hit the barrier changed direction before touching the ground, coming right for me.

I turned my own soul green, focusing with my spear in hand. I had done this many times before. Twirling the spear around, I battered the oncoming spears to the ground. Another came in from behind, turning yellow at the last moment. Noticing what it was about to do, I kicked the blunt part of the spear as it tried to get on the other side of my body.

Before I knew it, Undyne was on top of me again. She was giving me no room to breathe. I grabbed her spear, trying to surprise her. However, she reared back her fist and gave me a firm uppercut to the face.

95/124 HP

I lurched backwards, tumbling across the ground. Struggling to get up, I could hear her advancing on me. Water and lightning began forming above her head, all aiming at my crippled form. With a flick of her finger, the water doused the fire I used to try to protect myself in the last moments. The lightning struck second, making me scream in pain.

50/124 HP

"Do you know what you're feeling right now?" Undyne questioned, grabbing one of her newly made spears from the air and aiming it to my face. "This is what Sans felt… this is what Papyrus felt when you turned them to dust…" She stabbed right through my chest with the spear, letting the strange black liquid fly through the air. I still wasn't dead, which made her even more enraged.

20/124 HP

"Didn't they deserve a chance? We gave you one. We gave you a home when you had none!" Tears were falling from her face, but she refused to let her strength falter. Spears lit up the sky, looming threateningly. "Was it not enough for you? WE CARED ABOUT YOU!" _Another spear stabbed straight through me._ "AND YOU THREW IT AWAY!"

10/124 HP

"Why…? What made you do this to us?" Lightning charged in her fist, preparing to strike. "And don't say it was because you could. You and I both know that isn't the truth."

Silence passed as the sound of rain came overhead. She was poised for the kill, but… she needed to know the truth. What had driven me to be this way? Why did I take the lives of innocent people if everything was finally all right?

" **Heh…"** I gave a small laugh, getting up from the ground. The spears she had stuck in me were still there for a moment before being ripped out by my own hand. I gritted my teeth at the sudden jolt of pain, but stayed standing.

7/124 HP

" **Consider this Undyne…"** My soul began shining brighter on my chest. The dark edges had completely corrupted the red Determination of it, and it was seeping into the gold slowly. I cupped the soul in my hand, shadows covering my eyes. " **Imagine being in a world, where you are nothing. You are a mere blip on the radar…** _ **A world where you don't matter."**_

I shut my eyes, trying not to show weakness. It was so difficult, remembering just why I was even here. " **That's what I thought my world was. I used your world, because I was significant. I could free you all, or kill you all. It was my choice to make long ago…"**

The fins on Undyne's head dropped slightly. "I… I don't understand."

" **I manipulated you all. I used you as toys. When that fun had ended… I… did something stupid."** My soul began contorting, the gold dimming slightly. " **I gave up, Undyne. I left behind those who cared. I thought no one did, but I was so wrong. Deep inside, they all cared. I just refused to see it."**

" **Gaster needed a Player. It's not the first time a Player has interacted. I needed to keep the True Pacifist ending intact. Of course, I didn't remember who I was. He reminded me of just what I did…"** Silence. " **Of who I really am…"**

"But is this really who you are? Do you really want all of this?" Undyne remained firm, holding her spears at the ready. "Or are you just telling yourself that you can't go back on what you did?"

I glanced up, confusion on my face. " **You think that? You think that I can really go back on this?** _ **What I have done is unforgivable."**_ My voice began shaking. " **I no longer have a purpose for doing this anymore. It's just who I am, what this world made me into. Death has proven to not be enough to give me peace."**

My soul began shining black, corrupting the gold further. " **The only option is erasure. Your only option to stop me is to kill me. This is a fight to the death, Undyne. How can you expect to spare someone who doesn't deserve mercy?"**

My HOPE began rising, maxing out. Undyne's eyes widened as she tried to stab with her many spears in the sky. I flipped out of the way, grabbing others before they could collide and corrupting them with my magic. A few skimmed my body, much to my annoyance.

We charged each other, sending a sidekick right at the other. Our power was becoming equal, as neither gained any ground. We mirrored each other's movements, trying to punch and jab at the other. Each time, the defending one would counter or block.

Undyne charged lightning into her fist as she tried to strike me once more. Seeing this chance, I ducked under the blow, trying to sweep her legs out from under her. She saw it right on time, jumping out of the way. Swinging her arm to the side, ten more spears came to life in a line. "So, you gave in instead of trying to fight it? You let yourself take the fall?"

Red lightning struck down the spears, sending them all into magical light. " **I've learned the hard way that defying fate gets me nowhere. I am who I am. Now…"** For a moment, she could see my body flicker to that of a terrified monster. "Please, end this pain. KILL ME PLEASE."

The player side was quick to take back control, leaping forward with two sentinels at my side. Blue shockwaves rippled through the air. Undyne, however, did not even stop for them. Instead, she pushed through the pain that they brought, fighting even harder. Two spears rammed through the center of the Sentinels, disabling them. I really needed to get better at defending them.

Bones ripped through the ground, threatening to stop her path. Much to my astonishment, she suddenly began sliding. Water formed from the ground, carrying her through the air in a wave before she leapt in front of me, ready to strike again.

She grinned madly, letting lightning charged spears follow her assault behind her. With a demonic giggle, I threw my palm into the air. I rose into the sky, the wings sprouting from my back. " **You should have killed me when you had the chance Undyne."**

She did not cease her attack. You could see an imprint left behind from her, as she was moving so quickly. The four souls began defending me as I charged as well, flying headlong towards her. Yellow beams began reducing the spears as they tried to impale me and stop my course.

The real fight would be one of strength between the two of us. We clashed, pushing against each other and trying to gain on one another. Our eyes began glowing with strength and fury as we fought the other harder and harder.

Her eyes widened as I disappeared from her view in red glitches. She did not know where I had suddenly gone off to until she felt a tingling sensation of magic behind her.

The last thing she heard was a laugh of glee.

 **-61254**

Undyne felt as a spear rammed through her armor. She fell to her knees, clutching her chest where the spear had gone, clean through her chest. Just as expected, just as so many had warned her, she had fallen, just like that. With one hit, she had been reduced to this.

There was nothing more that she could do. She glanced up, seeing me standing over her. Not the one she had been fighting, the one who she had been friends with for a short while. She believed that she heard me trying to call out to her, to say that I was sorry. But, she heard nothing as she began melting slowly.

She felt darkness closing in upon her, when she glanced upward, seeing someone standing behind me. "P-Paps? You… heh… always did believe in everyone, didn't you?" Her hand clutched at the dirt, trying to hang onto life. Her other was placed on my shoulder as she could distinctly see me crying. What I was saying, she could not hear once more. It was as if she was slowly losing grip on reality.

The last thing I remembered her say was, "Never give up that fight, punk. Don't let it win. With your power, this world will live on…"

Dust once more filled the air, as I watched her grin fade away into the wind. I had killed yet another.

*Your LOVE has increased

Just as quickly as I felt remorse for my actions, it faded away. Glancing in the distance, I knew that Frisk and Chara had made it. Gaster was out there now, and when he would come, I had no idea. One part of me hoped that he would have what it took to kill me. Turning away from the direction of the barrier, I snapped my fingers, disappearing from sight.

* * *

Chara and Frisk had no idea about the fate of Undyne. They could only assume the worst when the sounds of battle had ceased from above. However, neither had ceased running, as they needed to get to Gaster as fast as possible.

There had been a lot of running done lately…

The grey door was in sight, and they were afraid of what Gaster was thinking at the moment. The man could see everything in the void, so one could only imagine the anger he was feeling. But, they needed Gaster. The scientist was the only one who _has_ been able to kill me. He was their best chance.

"Frisk…" Chara began, holding their hand on the doorknob. "Do you have the soul fragments?" They asked, gazing in question.

Neither were very responsive, or excited about the event. Both of them were so tired from the battle, that it just made them unresponsive. Being controlled and being forced to remember the times when it happened would do this to them. Nevertheless, Frisk nodded, holding the glass canister in their hand.

Chara twisted the doorknob, allowing the cold of the void to blast upon them. They stepped in, seeing one figure in the distance. He was turned around, trembling violently. It was none other than Gaster. "G-Gaster? Are… are you alright?" Chara asked, trying to see his face.

They received no response. Frisk took a few careful steps forward, trying to get his attention. He was too lost in misery to hear them. As they were close enough, Frisk placed a comforting hand on Gaster's shoulder, making him stop trembling.

Frisk could feel the hatred boiling off of him. It was so immense, that they thought they should run. However, Gaster was able to formulate a response. "C-Child…?"

"Gaster, we need your help." Chara stated, standing firm. "We know you are damaged from the loss of Sans and Papyrus, but… you're the only one who can stop him."

The scientist stopped, turning his head to glance at them. "How? I will not be able to be stable long enough…" He admitted with misery. "Unless… how much of the soul have you received?"

Frisk, as if on command, showed the canister to him. It was nearly complete, but it was missing a fourth of it. Gaster took it into his own hand, looking like he was about to cry. Two of the pieces that made up the soul used to be part of Sans and Papyrus… Now, they were gone. This was all that was left…

"Will it be enou-" Chara tried to question, only for them to be cut off.

Gaster shoved the fragments into his chest, as the two humans gasped in surprise. White light blossomed from within his hands as he kept the soul in, trying to keep it in his body. Frisk and Chara were blinded as a flash of white light echoed throughout the void.

When it had died out enough for them to uncover their eyes, they saw just what they wanted to see. Gaster stood before them, grinning. His two eyes sparked to life, turning blue and orange. "Come… let us show this player what true pain really is…"

 **AN: I LIVE!**

 **This chapter was so freaking long 0-0**

 **It was like double the length XD**

 **Anyway, the chapters will be like this until the end, as I'm trying to wrap it up by New Years. That's because A) To make room for the next fanfic. And B) To start a new tumblr comic**

 **HUE HUE HUE**

 **All right, I gotta post so you all don't want me dead any further.**

 **CHECK OUT THE POLL ON MY PROFILE BTW.**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing Off**


	53. Chapter 53

**AN: Uh, needless to say, this arc is going to be gruesome. I probably should have put this far before, but here ya go. I warned you.**

 **Chapter 53: A Player Approaches**

Gaster's sudden appearance in the shelter full of both monsters and humans did not receive the best reception. Granted, there were only a select few where he had teleported into. By the looks of it, they were in an office building. The windows had been boarded up, and curtains were placed over for good measure. No one wanted to be seen.

Well, that didn't help the few screams that came from some of them when Gaster appeared from the shadows. Frisk and Chara were with him of course, but no one was focusing on them. They were focused on the monster who had once killed a child and stolen their soul. Well, they did not even know half of the story.

But, that couldn't be undone. No one would fully understand his actions that day. Nor could they be completely justified. That day, Gaster had planned on destroying humanity. He had decided them too dangerous, but soon realized how foolish he was. There were good humans out there. It would be idiotic to assume the race is entirely bad. After all, monsters had done horrible deeds in the past.

Now, they needed to stand united. However, nearly everyone knew just what the monster looked like who had absorbed a human soul. Having the same one in a room with them, right after an apocalyptic event had taken place, did not go well with one another. Murmurs and yells of terror buzzed at the skeleton's lack of ears, making him slightly annoyed.

"Is that what I think it is?"

"That's the monster who absorbed that kid's soul!"

"Honey, get behind me…"

"Is that what's behind all of this?"

He would have said he was shocked that no chairs or things of weaponry were thrown at him upon them spotting him. Of course, that didn't change the fact that a select few were indeed getting ready to do just that. Gaster was not too keen on getting his skull cracked by a baseball bat.

Luckily, Chara had his back. They walked out from the shadowy corner, raising a hand to try to silence the humans and monsters. It didn't work, instead goading them on.

"He has another child with him?"

"Is it going to be another victim?"

Chara grew red in the face, nearly fuming. Why was everyone so quick to assumptions? Trying to silence them once more, Chara spun the yellow revolver around their hand, and shooting it up into the air. The crack of a gun shooting startled everyone in the building, gaining their full attention as Chara yelled, "QUIET!"

As to not anger the magic wielding human even further, everyone promptly shut their mouths. That, however, did not mean they put down any forms of defense. Gaster stepped forward. It was more of a slide, as his current fragmented soul couldn't exactly pull himself into a solid shape. Gazing around the room, he politely asked, "May I speak?"

Getting no hostile responses, he assumed he was allowed to continue. Even if he was going to try anything, there was always Dogaressa keeping guard at the entrance to the office building. It appeared the Royal Guard had to split up to defend against any attacks if needed. This situation needed to be handled immediately.

The halberd carrying dog nodded, as to tell him he could speak. Dogaressa would not stand even a chance against Gaster, but she would damn well put a hurting in him if he did try anything. "To ease your suspicions…" Gaster began, eyes scanning across the group of humans and monsters. "I am not the one causing all of this. In fact, the only reason I am here is to prevent that _thing_ from getting any closer."

"And what makes us supposed to believe you, child killer?" A human asked, pointing a finger accusingly. Some began nodding in approval, gaining hostility towards Gaster.

"Funny." Gaster placed a hand to his chin. "Then what makes Asgore different from me?" The crowd quieted down. "Asgore is trying to amend for what he did, so I will as well. I am only here to ensure that thing get nowhere near you all!"

"And? How do we know you aren't this reported danger running around?" Dogaressa let out a snarl, ready to strike at any moment. "You're already proven to be a sadistic murderer!"

This time, it was Frisk to make a response. They began speaking, trying to keep a calm expression on their face. "It isn't Gaster doing this!" Many eyes widened, seeing the king and queen's child with Gaster. Of course, no one actually knew who Chara was, or knew that they were alive in the first place. "If you keep interrogating him, we're all going to die either way. We need to find mom and dad!"

"Did you hypnotize that kid with your magic or something?" A man spat at him, face filled with anger. He had the right to be confused about this.

"I swear…" Chara muttered, bringing a red glowing knife into their hand. "Could you all just shut up and take a leap of faith for once? We are facing something that only he can stop!" They yelled, pointing towards Gaster. "If you don't want to die, get out of our way."

Even with that threat, no one moved. Everyone believed that it was truly Gaster who was causing this. Taking a deep breath, Chara decided to give them a few seconds to process the information through their tiny brains.

Before they could even make a move, a loud blast was heard, coming from outside. All attention was turned to the source, trying to make out what it was. As they looked away, Gaster pulled Chara and Frisk closer to him. "We won't find any help here." He stated to them, allowing himself to drift into shadow.

However, they were not able to completely disappear before Dogaressa saw them bleeding away from the light. "HEY! GET BACK HERE!" The dog howled, leaping forward with the halberd ready to strike. Much to her surprise, a blue octogonal shield blocked her from landing the blow. Frisk grinned as they disappeared into shadow.

Sweating, Dogaressa pulled out a walkie talkie from her robes, pressing the button to speak through. "Asgore, Toriel, you need to hear this. Gaster has Frisk and Chara, and is headed your way. Red, get ready to defend against him."

From the other side, the shaky voice came over the speaker. "Gaster… is already here." It was Toriel. "Remain at your posts. He isn't the one causing all of this."

The information of just who this threat was did not get around to the whole Royal Guard. The only one who knew was Undyne, and she was dead. No one wanted to say that it was me, simply because they did not want to make the fight more painful for anyone against me. It would only hinder their progress.

But, the sounds of magic crackling outside was not a good sign.

The noises reached Dogaressa's ears as she readied the battle axe again. With a swift hand motion, she told everyone to get to the back of the room and hide. The noise grew closer, and closer. Over the walkie talkie, the worried voice of Toriel asked if she was there. _The queen would be the death of everyone in this building._

As if an unstoppable force crashed into everything, tables were overturned, and civilians were sent sprawling to the floor. Dogaressa's battle axe dropped to the floor with a clatter, just out of her reach. Before she could clammer to get to the weapon, red strings tied around the axe, turning it a blood red.

The attacker entered the room, laughing all the while. " **Pfft, you guys really aren't good at planning, are you?"** I asked with amusement, bringing a flame into my hand. " **I guess I'll have to be the light of this party."**

Fire swept across the room in a wave, burning desks. The smell of burning flesh filled the room as both humans and monsters screamed in agony. Dogaressa glared daggers in my direction, rolling to her feet. Not even bothering to monologue, she pulled two daggers from her robe, making a hasty charge.

149/150 HP

Her eyes widened when the stab directly to the chest had done nothing. Laughing, I exclaimed, " **Wow! I feel like someone flicked me!"** Dogaressa was thrown to a wall, being held there by her neck. Fear and anger riddled her face, making her struggle to remain defiant. When trying to say something illegible, her lack of breath caught up with her.

From behind, a human ran at me with a bat, ready to strike. _Big mistake._ Blood gurgled in the human's throat as a spear drove straight through him. His eyes lost life as he slumped to the floor, lifeless. As Dogaressa continued to claw at my hand, I smirked at the rest of the crowd. " **Make any movements, and none of you will see the light of day again!"**

The dog I held captive turned limp, dropping any attempts to escape. She had run out of breath, and laid motionless. With a tsk of disapproval, I finished the job. Dust sprayed through the air as a bone rammed through her skull. Slowly, her body began turning to dust.

So many horrified faces awaited me. It was quite hilarious _horrible_ to see their expressions of shock. Heck, I'm pretty sure one of the humans vomited up his insides. " **Now… What to do with you all?"** I asked, stepping over the man's corpse that had died earlier. A purple soul appeared from his chest. Placing my hand over it, it became one of my own. " **After all…"** Red strings weaved from the ceiling, wrapping around their necks. " **I sTiLl HaVe DrEeMuRrS tO kIlL!"**

* * *

Gaster had been lucky to choose the right room. Albeit, it had taken him maybe seven tries to find a promising room to find help. He had to do multiple things. For one, he needed to find Asgore and Toriel. Frisk and Chara needed to be brought to safety. Secondly, he needed to at least have some form of the DT Extractor to be able to test a theory of his.

Forming himself in the corner, Gaster was able to catch view of many human scientists, working on something. They were running tests on vials of magic, trying to test their properties. There was only one way to explain this. They were trying to find out just what the Player was.

Of course, all of them would come up short. The power would be unable to be explained. It was like trying to explain a god. You… really can't. The power possessed by the player is dimensional altering, destructive, and worst of all, _nearly impossible to stop._

His eye sockets snagged on a yellow lizard, typing frantically at a keyboard. Sadly, one can only lurk in a corner for so long before being noticed. It… wasn't the reception he had expected to say the least. Heads turned to gaze at him, but most quickly resumed work. This was much different from the last reactions he had received. Some scientists showed signs of fear, but most seemed as if they were expecting him.

Not a moment later, he saw Alphys walking towards him, shaking in fear and a hint of excitement. However, that completely shifted to one of relief when she saw Frisk and Chara, alive and well. "O-Oh! Thank god y-you two are all right! Toriel was s-so worried about you…"

Chara shuddered, not wanting to think about the punishment they would get for doing this. Although, it would be worth it. Gaster was now alive long enough to do something to help. "Yeah, we were trying to bring this bag of bones back. He is the only one able to stop this thing…"

"W-Well, we were notified that you w-were coming by D-Dogaressa…" Alphys admitted, easing Gaster's suspicion on why everyone was acting so natural around him here. "I-I mean, I know I… we… shouldn't be so t-trusting of you, but w-we don't have much of a choice."

"Smart of you, Alphys." Gaster stated with a smile, placing a hand on her shoulder. She shook slightly, but he could tell she was trying. "I… I don't have much time before I fall apart again. There is a way to stop this, but I need two things."

"A-And what are those?" She asked, ready to abide if it was simple.

"A DT Extractor and…" He paused, wincing at how the final step would fall into place. If it came to it, if Gaster could not stop me… the most painful battle would take place. "I need to see Asriel Dreemurr."

A deathly silence passed between the group. However, it was quickly broken by a determined voice kicking in. It was Chara. "No way in HELL are you putting my little brother against that thing!"

Gaster saw this coming. "Chara, please…"

"He… he's already damaged as it is." The human threw their arms into the air. "Let's take a fragile child, who has already suffered enough, and put him up against a demon who used to be his brother! Bloody brilliant, Gaster."

"This is more serious than just Asriel!" Gaster exclaimed, eyes sparking to life. "That boy is the only thing that can subdue the Player if I fall. He is our only other option." Before Chara could open their mouth to argue, he continued the rant. "You cannot put the life of one in front of the life of many. We all have to risk our lives for, not just our world, but all the rest!"

Shadows crossed Chara's eyes, making them seem even more threatening. "You're just going to throw his life away? Is that what you're saying?" A confused hitch in their breath followed, before they were able to continue.

"You underestimate Asriel's abilities, Chara." The expression on the doctor's face grew cold. "You must give him the chance to step up. I will not force the duty upon him, but his assistance is needed if I fall to Player!"

"I'm not letting you put his life on the line!" They were definitely determined.

Words came out of Gaster's mouth that would hang between them for the duration of this event. "Child, it is YOUR fault we are here. YOU forced Player to Continue when he did not want it. Your better judgement told you to stop him. Why should we listen to you when you're the one who started this mess in the first place?"

At his words, Chara flinched backwards. This was the second time in a day that they were reminded of it. Glaring daggers, they responded with hostility, "That was my friend, a different person than we are fighting now. He was so kind to me. This _thing_ isn't him. It's a sick, twisted abomination of what he thinks he is." Drawing themself to their full height, they whispered, " _ **And if you even think this is what I intended to happen to him, I'll take away that soul just as fast as I gave it to you."**_

"G-Guys! Stop fighting!" Alphys interjected, her voice seemingly more assertive than normal. Both of them turned to her, eye brows, (or where an eyebrow would be) raised in question. Slightly losing confidence, she squeaked, "I-I-I mean w-we c-c-can't be fighting n-now, right? We h-have people t-to defend!"

A horrible realization dawned on Gaster. Alphys still had no idea Undyne had been dusted. How would he tell her that? She was finally looking slightly confident in herself. No, he couldn't say anything until the subject of Undyne was brought up. "Right…" He muttered, after being slightly lost in that trance. "Alphys, can you send word to Toriel and Asgore that they are here?"

"U-Uh…" She stuttered slightly, "I-yes!" _So much for that confidence._ She pulled out a walkie talkie similar to Dogaressa. "Toriel? Asgore? Gaster is here with Chara and Frisk." Rushed voices came from the other side, but Gaster could not make them out. Of course, it would be Toriel and Asgore flipping out on the other side.

Not a minute later, Toriel came bounding into the room. The absence of Asgore was most likely due to him still having to plan with human authorities. They seemed to already be done, however. What else could they possibly be doing?

Deciding to take his mind off of it, Gaster could already see that Chara and Frisk were in for suffocating hugs. Toriel was frantically checking them for any injuries, and healing them wherever there was a scratch. Gaster had made sure to heal the major wounds, as to not scare the mother further.

She seemed to see right through him. Although, maybe that expression was fear of him, rather than for her children. "G-Gaster? What are you doing here?" He could see sparking of flames at her fingertips. "If you're here to hurt anyone…"

"Toriel…" Gaster head dealt with enough of this today. "I am merely here to stop this thing coming to kill you all."

That seemed to have set her into a brief moment of anger. "He isn't a _thing_ Gaster. He's still a child." Her arms crossed, as Gaster stood unamused. "Now stop using that term for my son."

A frown made its way on his face. How could some of these people not just let go? "When will you understand? This thing we are facing is no longer a child. That thing is not the one who befriended all of you."

Before Toriel could retort, the sound of gunfire could be heard from outside. Immediately, Toriel pulled out her walkie talkie, asking, "Red? What's going on down there?"

From the other side, the sounds of bullets nearly drowned the canine out. "He's here! Everyone needs to hide!" Her voice cut off for a moment, before returning. "Wait… Queen Toriel, he's doing something…"

An urgency filled the room, as scientists started trying to work faster. Some completely gave up, falling to their knees in crippling fear. Gaster took control over the situation, getting hold of Alphys. "Alphys, I need you to send Mettaton's robots to escort the DT Extractor from Sans's basement. That machine is needed for me to make what is needed to stop him."

Chara was still glaring all the while at Gaster. "You still aren't using Asriel!"

"Don't worry, Chara." Gaster stated calmly, even when the confused anger on Toriel's face came his way. "If I can complete this experiment on time, Asriel will not be in any danger."

Alphys began typing away on her computer, as Mettaton bots began swarming into the room. They seemed to all fly out the direction of the air vents as to not be seen. As Toriel took Chara and Frisk to a safe, guarded place in the building, Gaster needed to do one more thing. Asriel needed to be the one to use the experiment. He had lied to Chara, but he was certain he had a chance against me.

If he did fail, it would have to be Asriel who would land the final blow. No one else would be able to stand a chance. There was indeed a possibility that I could die to any select monster if they tried hard enough. But, it was unlikely that this would happen. After all, I was right outside the doors, ready to strike.

Alphys spoke through her transceiver, trying to get a hold of Red. "Red… we need you to hold him off as long as you can."

* * *

" **And, that should be the last of em."** I dusted off my hands, gazing at my handiwork. Yet another unit, dead. Humans and monsters laid dead on the ground. My LOVE had increased significantly, giving me a LOVE of fifteen. Many souls had been taken, as well as more magic possessed. At this rate, anyone defending against me would be stupid.

Of course, there were a few slight challenges. The human military had guards in most of the rooms. Soldiers were patrolling the streets, armed to the teeth with weaponry. If I had to guess, they probably had snipers on the roofs, waiting for me. Too bad they completely forgot I could teleport.

After scouring the city, it seemed that many monsters were already eradicated. The monster population is not entirely massive, and most would not be in this city. However, all I needed to do was get to a LOVE of twenty, and I could erase them all, and take their souls, with one flick of a knife. That meant taking out the major monsters.

As I stepped over Doggo's pile of dust, I contemplated just how difficult this would be. Sans, Papyrus, and Undyne were already dead. Those would have to be the hardest of them all. Papyrus, due to the fact that he was gaining Sans's strength, would have been a terrifying opponent. Too bad all of the difficult ones were gone. It was time to see just how easily the others would fall, or even if they would be a worthy fight.

The light of the red sky shone down on me when I stepped out from the building. It was time that I began my approach on Toriel and Asgore. If I had to guess, the place was heavily guarded. I had a way to get by that, however.

Snapping my fingers, two sentinels appeared at my sides, defending me from any attacks that may come my way. Immediately, I was spotted by various soldiers, telling me to put my hands in the air. Of course, I didn't abide to that. Guns were pointed in my direction as the sound of helicopter blades came from overhead.

The glint of a Sniper lens caught my eye on one of the buildings. I was correct. Amongst the humans, I could see two familiar monsters. Red and Mettaton would aid them if anything went wrong. Who cares, they are weak. Not to mention, Mettaton was in his NEO form. Did he not realize he was invulnerable in his box form?

Using magic to tune my voice, I spoke, my voice being amplified. " **Greetings, humans."** If they would have fired right there, it wouldn't have made a difference. I had so many souls on my side, that the damage done wouldn't amount to anything. " **I'd not fire those weapons if you want to live."**

A look of horror crossed Red's face as she realized just who I was. Mettaton had already known, as he had seen me alive and well. However, Red had not known about me Continuing. The only reason she recognized me was due to the resemblance my Player form showed to my regular one. "Y-You?!" Her sword trembled in her hand. Two Royal Guardians burst from the ground at her side, opposing mine. "W-Why?"

" **Howdy Red!"** A demonic grin crossed my face. " **Long time no see. But, you're not why I'm here."** I faced the human soldiers that had blocked my way. " **Lucky for you all, I have an offer to make. An offer that will spare you…"**

One human, presumably the commander of them, seemed to glance around, unsure. Eventually, he stated, "State your terms." Smart, he knew that if he resisted, it could be the death of many.

" **Aw! So kind of you!"** I gave a mocking bow, showing even more power with a flame in my hand, as if taunting them. " **I have something simple to ask of you, humans. If you want to be spared…"** My eyes opened even more, letting red fire flare out of both. " **Hand over every single monster you have, and I will leave your race in peace."**

The offer hung there, making Red and Mettaton's souls drop. Of course the humans would. The monsters had been a problem for human society as it was. What would make them think differently? It was either keep the monsters who had been a constant problem for them and die, or give up the monsters and live in peace.

The human general gazed around to his men. They all began nodding in agreement with each other. Mettaton shut his eyes in disbelief. It couldn't end this way.

 _What they were agreeing on was completely different._

Every human agreed on firing straight at me, guns blazing with bullets. My eyes widened in surprise as bullets spun towards me. Why were they standing up for the monsters? Ten green souls swarmed around me, generating their own barriers to block the bullets. They were persistent…

" **If that's how you want to play…"** I muttered, bringing out various souls. " **I'LL GRANT YOUR DEATH WISH!"** Strings wrapped around the tail of a helicopter before it could evade. Pulling my hand down, the helicopter went with it, crashing upon the ground in a massive explosion. Yellow souls took aim, casually blasting the tops of buildings where snipers rested to shreds.

Many humans were brought to their knees from the attack. Much to my utmost surprise, Mettaton had protected ones that were near him, Red included. They were in some sort of barrier dome, being protected by hexagonal shields. As it dissipated, Red commanded the humans to fall back and protect Asgore and Toriel.

Nodding, they ran off, keeping an eye on their backs. This would be an interesting duo to fight. Mettaton grinned, giving a dramatic flair. "Darling, did you really think Alphys wouldn't install the defense?" His arm cannon began charging as Red's Royal Guardians took aim.

The canine herself drew her sword, drawing white, glowing lines in the air. "I should have known you couldn't be trusted. And now, here you are, killing us all." Her eyes snapped open, crosshairs spinning around her left. "I won't let you get past us. Not without making you bleed."

" **That's funny."** A spear came to life in my hand. " **I don't bleed."**

A cold chill was sent down my spine when a whisper came from behind me. " _Let us test that theory…"_ Before I could dodge, the swipe of a scythe cut across the back of my neck, sending me to the ground as a black liquid sprung from the wound.

150/186 HP

The wound was a bad cut, but closed as soon as I waved my hand over it. My HOPE still remained lowered, but that was fine. Turning around to my new opponent, I realized the one monster who I'd never fought in any timeline. How was Riverperson able to deal that much damage with one strike?

Growling in anger, I raised my hand, letting fire erupt from the ground. The hooded monster disappeared from my vision, appearing next to Red and Mettaton. Yet, the Riverperson did not reveal their face. Now, this was a three versus one. This would be one hell of a ride. Strings whipped from my hands as all three of them took aim with their weapons.

"Did you honestly think I'd let you touch my child?" Riverperson asked, scythe glowing a chilling blue. "Did you think I'd let you slay my king and queen?" Ice covered the weapon, giving me insight on just what element the monster was using. "You'll have to really try hard to do that without me stopping you!"

* * *

Mettaton bots were effective. Not only were they incredibly fast, but they had tremendous strength. The DT Extractor had arrived. However, one thing was missing as Alphys looked around. Gaster was not in a room anymore.

Of course, he wouldn't leave without reason. Alphys told herself that she had to trust Gaster's motives. He seemed to know what he was doing, and at this rate, they would die either way whether they trusted him or not. Gaster was their only chance. The least Alphys was able to do was upgrade Mettaton, as there was no time to build anything super powerful.

The only thing she could do was assist Gaster in this project. But, she didn't know what to do without him here. He had barely explained it before he seemingly rushed off without her knowing. Deciding to check the battle outside with cameras, she turned back to her computer with utmost shock.

Little to her knowledge, on the other side of the building, Gaster had appeared from shadows near someone else. The room containing the Royal Family was heavily guarded by soldiers. None of them would ever consider letting Gaster in due to the many reports of him having absorbed a soul.

When appearing in the corner, he was glad to see the one he was looking for was there alone. Although, he would be a liar if he said Asriel was looking perfectly fine. A pang of sympathy shook his soul as he gazed upon the broken Prince. Had he even stopped crying? He was sitting against the wall, trying to wipe his eyes free of tears, then failing immediately. He hadn't even noticed Gaster's presence.

It had gotten to the time where Gaster knew just how heartbreaking this was for him. Asriel had faced Chara perishing before his eyes. He had died, trying to protect the humans from Chara's wrath. As if that wasn't enough, he killed his sibling, saw another die right before his eyes, and is now being forced through the process again. How would one think Asriel was being weak? No one should be expected to hold themselves together after this much pain in his life. Now, Asriel could be forced with the task of killing me.

Kneeling down, Gaster tried to look at Asriel, face to face. Seeing the sudden movement, Asriel took his head out of his arms, and recoiled in fear. He quickly backed himself away from Gaster, eyes darting everywhere. "H-How are you…?" He tried to ask, but his throat closed up on itself in fear.

"Do not worry, I do not mean any harm." Gaster told him in a calm voice, as to not startle him. "I am only here to help you all."

"I-Is it about… him…?" Asriel asked, trying not to say my name to prevent himself from breaking down again. Gaster solemnly nodded in response. "W-What d-do you want?" He placed his head back into his hands, returning to not showing his face.

Pausing to contemplate how to say this, Gaster ran into a road block. There would be no way to convince Asriel to follow through with this plan. If there was, it was a slim chance he would accept. "Asriel… I have something to ask of you." He waited, seeing if the monster would respond. Receiving none, he continued, "I… I am going to go try to hold him off." That gained his attention. "If I fall, if Asgore, Toriel, Chara, and Frisk fall, you will be the only one standing a chance."

Panic arose in Asriel's eyes as his head snapped upward. "You… You k-know that I can't hurt him. I-I can't do that. I'm a-already weak…"

"Asriel…" Gaster muttered, interrupting him before he could continue. "At some point you will have to draw the line. He is coming to kill us all, and then continue to other timelines. We cannot let the others be killed because we failed."

"And what happens if I win?" The boss monster questioned, fiddling with his ear. "Everyone will be gone… You'll all be gone…" Tears began pricking at the corners of his eyes again. "I can't do this…"

Standing up, Gaster understood Asriel's fears. "I understand… Give yourself some time, Prince Asriel. Come to Alphys if you change your mind."

Before Asriel could formulate a response, Gaster had vanished into the shadows once more. Letting out a breath he didn't know he was holding, he resumed sitting there, praying the madness would end. Holding his heart locket tightly, he asked to someone who couldn't hear, "Why couldn't we all just be happy…?"

 **AN: What could Gaster's plan truly be? You will have to find out!**

 **River Person nearly never gets a fight in fanfictions! I'm here to make it epic!**

 **I updated this before TerminaTale because I got a burst of inspiration, and had to write this one. TerminaTale should be updated next. The deadline for ending by the end of the year may not happen, but the comic will still try to start.**

 **There is also a link (that doesn't work) to a petition (which you can search for) on my profile. Please read the disclaimer and respect what I say. If you don't agree, just don't sign and move on.**

 **Welp, I hope you all enjoyed the chapter. This fic will soon be reaching its climax... but not in the way you're expecting.**

 **I'm throwing a real curve ball with this one.**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Out**


	54. Chapter 54

**Chapter 54: Descent into Insanity**

 **Song: Undertale: Power of "NEO" (IKARUS REMIX) by BlastProcessed**

 ***River Person, Red, and Mettaton NEO are taking a stand!**

 ***Let's show them just how powerful we are!**

Did they honestly think they would stand a chance in the slightest? Mettaton NEO could die in one hit, and that was with my lower LOVE. The problem would be Red and the River Person. The latter would be more unpredictable, as the River Person never fought, and would even let you ride on the ferry…

 _What had sparked this defense?_

A glowing button came to life in front of my hand. I decided to ACT to see what I was up against.

 ***River Person: 120 ATK 60 DEF**

 ***Just a mother protecting her child. Don't underestimate this foe…** _ **We have no room for error…**_

The charging of a cannon caused my hand to defend in a protective manner. A green soul blasted to life in front of me, making a bright shield. Smoke whipped through the air as the shield dissipated into fragments of light. Mettaton blasted through the smoke, his hand rearing back to strike. Similar to how I fought Undyne, I grabbed his fist before it could collide.

The ground below me began cracking. Eyeing it suspiciously, I lost focus as a chakram flew through the air, glowing blood red. Before I could even make a reaction, the earth below me seemed to wrap around my feet, locking me in place. I did not have enough time to process teleporting would work before the chakram ran through my stomach,

148/186 HP

I let out a yelp of surprise as that sticky substance gurgled in my throat. While being nearly unkillable is fun and all, that doesn't change the fact just how much it hurts. A green soul came to my aid, patching up the wound. I snapped my fingers, disappearing from the earth encasing.

That was until ice suddenly knocked me to the ground, face first.

128/186 HP

Glancing upward, I noticed the River Person chuckling. Her scythe was covered in ice, but quickly switched to a strange red-ish color. "You should have never crossed paths with us." Four light blue souls rushed to my aid, covering me with their soul mode. Lava erupted from the ground below me, searing everything around the area.

River Person raised a hand, waving it all out of existence before it could cause too much harm. Much to her shock, I had suffered no injuries. " **I could say the same to you…"** Fire sparked in my fingertips as the flames waited for any command. " **Because, you and I both know how this will end…"**

"With the death of you, darling!" Mettaton retorted, pointing his finger in my direction. Mini-bots soared over his head with bombs in their hands. Yellow souls began to try to counter, taking aim at the offending robots. X-Explosions caused a ripple in the air, making us all flinch backwards.

Through the streams of exploding light, a gear-like Royal Guardian rose, charging a blast of blue. Red had begun to act. As the blast of blue forced me to stay still, earth rose from the ground, hitting me square in the chest, the wind being knocked out of me.

100/186 HP

Okay… Battling one powerful enemy was enough as it was. If only these damn souls would finally connect with me. As I tried to catch my breath, a plan was needed. River Person was definitely the hard hitter. She was giving me hell with these elemental attacks. So far, they were ice, earth, and… magma? I had to look out for that, as it could be what would kill me.

Red was playing defense. She had not shown her face with melee attacks yet. If I could get her first, it would probably be the best option. But, that would lead to the problem of River Person going enraged. That would not be pretty. It was the only way it could be done.

Mettaton was support. Whenever it would seem like I had the upper hand, he would be sure to keep me on my toes. He kept forming team attacks with the others. The one weakness I knew he had was that he would die in one hit. After all, I already had a LOVE of seventeen. If I hadn't shown weakness upon killing my enemies, I would already be at twenty.

 _That's all I needed to erase this world._

The yellow souls behind me shone with intensity. With a ping, my soul turned yellow and flipped over in the process. A yellow crosshair appeared over my eye, allowing me to use the soul mode. " **How about we play by MY rules now?"**

* * *

Entry 13: I… I've been watching on the cameras of this building we are in. Mettaton, Red, and the River Person are putting up one fight… One thing I noticed is that even though PLAYER has far more than seven human souls, he can still be damaged.

Entry 14: Gaster and I have deducted that since he is technically human at the moment, the souls can't merge. If he… gets to LOVE twenty, he will be able to become… a demon. That's when all of the souls will finally become one with this thing that he is. We CAN'T let that happen.

Entry 15: Gaster has returned, and is working on something to counter the player. He hasn't told me the theory exactly, but he does state that only Asriel will be able to use it. That scares me… The prince would never use any form of weapon on player, even if his life was on the line.

Entry 16: No one is telling me where Undyne is… After the first few times of asking… I understood what has happened… I need a break now… Gaster, can you continue the entries, please?

Entry 17: I, W.D. Gaster, will take control for now. I am here to talk about PLAYER's soul. Judging by Alphys's scans, it was seemingly healthy. Now, from the camera footage outside, it's nearly all black… Just a small hint of gold rests there. That gold is the bond with Asriel.

Entry 18: What the two share between each other is indescribable. Their souls went through a state where they both came to terms with each other. The bond is unbreakable, even after death, now. But, less about that, and more about why this bond even exists. When a PLAYER finishes their 'game', as they call it, they will have an attachment to a certain 'character' more than half of the time in my studies of timelines. This PLAYER was dedicated to saving Asriel, like many others.

Entry 19: According to what he has spoken to others, PLAYER took a spiral into insanity. He began becoming detached, and no one noticed. The dedication to SAVE someone was so strong, that he forgot to SAVE himself. Eventually… events took a dark turn.

Entry 20: When I made his soul, I made it with a few things in mind. I made it with the conscience of a player, as they would be better in this world easily. However, they would not remember their past life, as to not disrupt their goal. The player had to have some sort of will to help Asriel. The monster was a main concern of "Frisk's" resetting. _The PLAYER had to have given up completely._ When I made that soul, I did not know whether or not it would work. Each universe only has one player, and ours had to meet these standards. Look at what we ended up with…

Entry 21: Our one way to fix this is the one who started this all, Asriel. He is the only one who can stop PLAYER. However, I am unsure on what we do then. We… cannot reset. At the end of genocide timelines, Chara would always bring back the world. The means are unknown, as I could never see just what happened when a timeline was erased from existence. But, that could have just been them resetting with Frisk's determination… We need them alive in this…

Entry 22: The PLAYER should have reached a LOVE of twenty a long time ago. He already had killed before, and there were more monsters to slay this time around. This is a good sign for us. To be LV twenty, you must fully accept just who you are. You must believe you are nothing but a killer. I'm afraid he knows this too. The… The only way he will be able to fully detach himself is by killing prince Asriel.

* * *

The yellow soul mode… possibly one of the most useful. Not only could you dodge attacks, but you can return the fire just as easily. Not to mention, it was the way I knew how to deal with Mettaton. If I wanted to win this battle, I would need to start exploiting their strengths against them.

A spear came to life in my hand, giving me a form of striking. Without second thought, I began a sporadic charge to Mettaton. He was causing me major trouble, so it would be him to reap the penalty first. River Person saw my movement, raising her hand to the sky. The ground rose and fell in intervals, trying to obstruct my path. _Perfect._

I seemed to disappear from midair. Mettaton had a brief moment to register before a spear was plummeting down on him. A hexagonal shield blocked the blow before I could strike. A wave of fire began advancing on the robot. Red had him covered, and summoned a blue shockwave to destroy the moving flames. _Mistake._

Readjusting myself, I sent red strings in the direction of the Royal Guardian. Of course, Red tried to be faster. She sliced in midair with her sword, trying to shatter the incoming strings. Yellow bullets swarmed in on her, breaking her focus on the slash. Her Royal Guardian was not saved, and it was now mine. Her eyes widened in shock as her control over the weapon faded. She did not remember about the yellow bullets piercing through the air.

 **-1500**

Half of her HOPE was drained as eight bullets ran through her body. Red gasped for air, only for it to be knocked out of her by a fist to the face.

 **-100**

With a yelp of pain, she crumpled to the ground, allowing vulnerability. That was all I needed. I approached the monster, letting the strings to their work. River Person tried to stop me. Ice flew through the air, breaking into shards. They took aim, zooming towards my soul with killing intent. Mettaton tried to stop me as well, but was quickly rejected by yellow souls aiming on him. The ice shards melted by flames that I spawned into my hand.

She leapt into the air, slamming downward on my head with the scythe. My eyes both turned solid red. In a split second, my hand had wrapped around the scythe. I brought it over my head, swinging her over my head. Much to my surprise, she skillfully landed on her feet. She slashed with an icy scythe, forcing me to jump backwards.

The spear in my hand began shining brighter. River Person's soul turned green. Spears spun to life in the sky, taking aim at the monster. She was forced to slash in different directions at an alarming speed to stop the onslaught. The souls were keeping Mettaton at bay, stopping him from being of any help. As for Red, she was no longer in control.

River Person's soul turned back to its white color as she was released from the locked position. When she realized I wasn't there, a sickening sight greeted her. In my place was a corrupted Red. Strings had her tied up like a puppet, and kept her from making any movement. " **Rule Number One about trying to stop something like me…"** I hovered over the controlled monster, with a menacing grin on my face. " **DON'T"**

Red tried to speak, but was being choked by the strings. " **Hmm… Spare or kill… spare or kill…"** Ten yellow souls surrounded her, ready to strike if anything went wrong. River person tried to search for any opening, but she knew that if she attacked, Red would be dead in a second. " **Come on, how about you choose, River person."**

"You are sick." She spat back, still keeping her guard up. "Let her go!"

" **Sorry! That's not an option."** A purple soul summoned purple strings, wrapping them around her soul. Karmic Retribution began flowing through her veins as she cried out in searing pain. Red's HOPE was slowly draining. " **Ohhh, so Karmic Retribution does affect you because you're controlled by my LOVE… interesting…"**

 **-400**

She only had one thousand HOPE left, and that was only a third of her original. " **Come on, she doesn't have much time… Would you rather let her be controlled by me, forever… Or, will you let me put this doggy down?"**

 **-500**

" **Tick. Tock."** The River person was shaking in anger. Her scythe began glowing different colors, as if she was cycling through different forms of magic.

"I will never let you manipulate my child." River person mumbled. She threw her hand down, a large flash blinding my vision. She was gone when I was able to regain vision. A heard a yell from behind. Turning around, I was that she was holding out her weapon to strike with an icy blow.

Mettaton heard sentinels charging from behind him. He whirled around, only to see a sickening sight. The strings around Red's neck tightened, causing her eyes to roll back into her head. Dust was flying from her body, as her HOPE was dangerously close to dropping to zero. River person had tried to land a final blow, but she was intercepted by a fire bearing sentinel.

In that time he lost focus, a yellow soul was able to nail him in the back of the neck. He gasped in shock as his HOPE immediately drained from the killing shot. He had been careless, and died useless. He was not even able to protect anyone…

 _Mettaton's death was pathetic, just like always._

"S-Sorry I could n-not be more of a use… darlings..," With that, his self destruction took place.

In the corner of my eye, I could see Mettaton fall. To be honest, I was hoping he would put up more of a fight. As soon as they were all separated, they fell apart… This was actually quite pathetic. And I thought this would be hard. It was laughable. " **Foolish… Did you really think you could try to SAVE Red?"** I asked the River Person who was blocking the fiery sentinel with hatred in her eyes. " **Did you really think you could stop me?"**

Red tried to say something. She tried to call out to her mother, and say some words of comfort. But, the strings did not allow her to say her last words. I knew the experience personally. When you can't even say your last words to a loved one… the feeling of cold regret and despair fill you in your last moments.

My LOVE didn't even increase, as that moment did not give me enough EXP. Why? I was not able to accept just what I had done… I had that small feeling of regret for what I had done… _That doesn't change what I did. And, that did not change whether I would stop or not._

One mindset filled my head as I knew what I had to do. There was something I was still hanging onto… If I truly wanted this, I could not spare anyone. There was only one monster who would be able to hold me to my faded morals… Asriel. I knew what I had to do now…

But, there was still someone who I had to fight. River person had fallen to her knees. Tears were falling out of her hood, and splashed onto the ground. "W-Why? How could you do this?" She asked in agony. "What drives you to continue slaughtering us all without a second thought?"

" **I've been asked this question… so many times."** It was honestly irritating. " **So, how about you stop crying and fight."**

A silence followed, as the flow of tears ceased. A broken laugh escaped her mouth. "No… That's what you want." She slowly got to her feet, using her scythe as support to stand. "I was never a fighter after my time in the Royal Guard… I should have stuck to that. I gave up fighting, and took care of Red, hiding the fact that I wasn't her real mother, just to make her happy…"

Shadows covered my eyes at those words. " **Heh, she would have been better without someone as caring as you…"** River person's head jolted up in confusion. " **You people will never understand…"**

 **-99999**

Dust flew into the air as I rammed a spear through River person's chest. " **The more you care about someone… the more it hurts when they are GONE!"** She fell to the ground, clutching her stomach in pain. " **I don't care about your backstory. I don't care about any of you!"** Lightning sparked to life within my fingertips. " **You are all toys to be played with, and eventually destroyed. You all mean NOTHING!"**

The strikes collided, reducing the River person to nothing. With a cold expression, I did not even think twice before proceeding into the building up ahead. On the way, I emotionally stepped over Red's dust, picking up her sword on the way. " **Although, I would say that I was interested in what was under that hood…"**

* * *

It was coming to this. I had killed the last defenses. Of course, if Gaster was ready, he would simply encounter me first. However, this could not be possible.

The fight outside had ended much quicker than anticipated. He was hoping the River Person would actually show who she really was, but that did not happen. Sadly, they were overwhelmed when they were separated. This was getting desperate. If he wasn't able to finish this experiment, all of this would be for nothing.

I had entered the building now. There was no time for errors. His hands flew across the DT Extractor, turning on switches and levers. The eyes sparked to life, turning a deep red. It had to work this time. Too much was depending on this moment.

The doors of the room he was working in flew open. He would have flinched if he was not endorsed in the project. Toriel had burst through the door, Frisk, Chara, and Asriel were in tow, running as fast as they could. "Gaster!" Toriel yelled across the room, panting from how fast they were going.

The scientist was fumbling with controls, trying to get it done last minute. "Toriel, I need to get this done. I cannot have distractions!"

Toriel shook her head, her eyes flopping slightly. "Gaster, there is no more time. I need you to get the children out of here."

Just a few more seconds… "He will find us, anyway. What is the difference if I don't finish this project? We will die regardless!"

A loud crash shook the building. The sound of metal clashing against metal echoed through the vast hallways. "Gaster, Asgore and I will try to hold him back for as long as we can. You need to flee!" Toriel pleaded, keeping an eye on the doorway.

Suddenly, a ping of the DT Extractor being done made Gaster jump five feet in the air. He turned his head to the source, a smile of glee appearing on his face. By some miracle, the vial of magic he had experimented with had finally reacted. The extractor opened its maw, showing a syringe, filled with a golden substance. "Toriel… I think we may finally have a chance…" He said with a light feeling in his soul.

"Gaster… What do you mean?" She asked, still paranoid that I would burst through the door at any moment.

The orbs in Gaster's eyes glanced to Asriel. "I have a plan, but you are not going to like it."

* * *

Holy hell that hurt. I was not expecting to be blown away as soon as I entered the building. In retrospect, that was probably what I should have expected. The humans that had gotten away before the previous battle were awaiting me. It wasn't them who had been the problem. They were easily swatted down.

It was Asgore who used the element of surprise.

Getting hit by that giant trident hurt like hell. Now I fully understood just how much pain Frisk suffered through in the Underground. Just going through all these fights gave me a taste of what I put Frisk through when I didn't dodge enough.

After the humans had been quickly dealt with, I failed to notice Asgore creeping up behind me. He was quick to stab with his trident, aiming for my chest. I sensed the magic behind me, teleporting behind him to try and strike. Boss monsters were something I had yet to face when they were at full strength.

Let's just say the hit he followed up with would have killed an average human. He was ready, and did a back kick. The air rippled around us with the collision. I was quite literally sent flying outside. I struggled to regain footing as the monster approached with that massive trident. I did not want to see his full power.

He swung with his trident again, coating it with fire. I drew Red's sword from my soul, barely blocking the blow. That didn't change how far I was pushed backwards. Souls spun around me as I decided to show him just how strong _I_ could be.

 _Immediate rejection._

Asgore spun his trident in the air, fire spraying in a large beam towards me. The souls were forced to dodge with me, as I lost focus on the attack. Distraction was hard to get rid of when you had a massive boss monster advancing on you. "Scared? I would be… I show no mercy to people who kill for fun."

The sword in my hand began glowing red. " **Hypocritical coming from you. After all, you killed six children as well!"** Reality began tearing between us. We both leapt backwards as a rift into the void was created momentarily. " **Didn't they beg for mercy? You are no different from me… We are both monsters."**

"Yet, that's also where we are different." He slammed his trident into the ground. The ground split, allowing fire to burn through the cracks. I leapt to the side, landing on my hand and two feet. "I killed for hope. You kill for despair. You kill simply because you can."

" **Did anyone force you to kill humans, Asgore?"** I asked, shutting my eyes as if contemplating the answer for him. " **You made that choice. No one made you do it. Isn't that a fun fact…"**

His grip on the trident tightened. Yet, Asgore knew I was trying to anger him. Keeping calm, he continued, "I cannot ever amend for what I did. However, unlike you, I know what I have done. I will overcome it, and reap the penalty for my actions…" He took the trident in one hand, pointing it at me with a glare. "Soon, you will do the same."

I returned the glare, raising my sword. " **Let's test tha-"**

A fireball blasted me from the side. I was once again launched away with a fire on my shoulder. A green soul came to my aid, restoring the damaged health. "That's enough from you." A familiar, motherly voice said. My eyes wandered upwards, and I immediately wished I was not here right now.

Toriel was holding a scepter. A flame rested at the top of it, as she was ready for battle. About what I said about boss monsters being powerful… they are no joke. But, that wasn't it. Frisk and Chara stood next to her with the stopwatches held in their hands. "Are you sure you want to test it?" Chara asked, summoning a true knife into their hand. "Despite what you think, you won't be the one in control."

"And trust me, Player." A cold voice came from behind me. The familiar sound of a Determination Blaster charging behind me forced me to teleport out of the way. I wanted to believe my eyes were deceiving me, but that wasn't the case. Gaster was standing before me, charging weaponry. "We will give you a fate worse than hell."

" **G-Gaster? How?"** I knew just what this meant. Not only was I against two boss monsters. I was up against three time manipulators, one of which had already killed me. My hands ignited in fire. " **You really want to fight me? You really want to fight a GOD?"**

Gaster let out a low chuckle. The lights in his eyes disappeared as he said, "You are not a god. You are nothing more than a child thinking he is all powerful. All players have their limits, and we will stop you."

"But we don't have to fight!" Toriel interjected, catching my attention. Did she honestly think that was an option. "There is always a peaceful solution. Just… stop fighting, and give up those souls. We can still stop this before it's too late!"

Gaster appeared in a puff of smoke next to the rest of them. Five entities opposed me. Although, I had gotten this far. Who was to say I couldn't just beat them again? If anyone, it would be Gaster who would be the problem. "Or… you could make the foolish decision of fighting us. But, I can assure you, you will regret doing that."

" **Hehe… aha… REALLY?"** Wings sprouted from my back as I flew into the air. Hundreds of souls floated in the air around me, shining will brilliance. " **Do you HONESTLY think I would use MERCY?"** Four Sentinels appeared in the air over my head. " **SINCE WHEN DID I SHOW MERCY TO ANYONE? I am the PLAYER. I DON'T BOW TO CODING IN A GAME!"**

Shadows covered Gaster's eyes. He had been expecting this answer. "Is that so?" The wind began howling. "If that's your answer…" The two stopwatches sparked with glowing blue magic. They flew into the air, the hands spinning wildly. Gaster's eyes snapped open, showing the intensity of the colors. "COME!"

Before I could do anything, the four options I relied on appeared in front of me. Toriel and Asgore drew their weapons. A trident crashed through the MERCY option, making us unable to go back. I began laughing, " **And what made you think I'd ever use that? Didn't I just say-"**

A bolt of fire tore through the FIGHT option. Toriel's scepter was glowing with flames surrounding her head. "You are a horrible imitation of my child…" She said, shaking her head in disapproval.

My soul was revealed on my chest. Just a small circle of golden light was still shining through. However, light blue chains wrapped around my soul, keeping something from escaping. Much to my shock, the wings on my back vanished. The souls around me disappeared, going back into mine. All of the magic I had used was gone.

 _I had lost the ability to fight…_

Gaster raised his hands as two massive puppet hands formed in the air. White strings wrapped around both the ACT and ITEM options. Slowly, they began cracking from the immense force upon them. All of my options were gone, and I couldn't even summon magic or souls to aid me.

Frisk and Chara put their hands together, summoning red magic into their hands. The world faded to black and white, as we all entered a true battle. Flames and bones sprouted from the ground, making a large box around the area we were all fighting in. Any structures around us were only defined by green lines.

"If you so confidently think you can beat us, then we will show you just what we are made of." Gaster stated calmly, ready to fight. "So, player, feeling any regrets?"

 **AN: If I had to choose who the most powerful monsters in Undertale were, I would not even mention Undyne and Sans. Other than Asriel, Asgore and Toriel would be the strongest at full strength. THEY HAVE 80 ATK ALREADY! And, they were holding back. Just imagine that power released!**

 **It made sense that Toriel would have the ability to destroy the fight option, being that Asgore can destroy the mercy one. Plus, now they have a really good chance...**

 **Where are the other humans? They are protecting Asriel, as he is a main target.**

 **We are nearing the end! It should be done by the time I go back to school. Get ready for feels.**

 **Also, I'm typing from my new computer with amazing specs! Once again, you can go to my tumblr for art in the future. One person freaking nailed the interpretation of Player! (Looking at you hypertonicus/Underfan.)**

 **The battle with the three at the beginning was made to show just how uncaring the player has become. He barely listens to reveals/monologues, and tortures anyone as long as he can.**

 **Also: LOVE 19**

 **Keep in mind that erasing the world would give him access to EVERY. SINGLE. SOUL.**

 **The stakes are high right now.**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 Signing Off**


	55. Chapter 55

**Chapter 55: Losing Your Source Code**

 **[Undertale] Destruction of Determination - Chara Battle Theme by Mettaton**

I was quite literally boxed in. The cage of bones and fire that kept us from leaving the battlefield left the unrelenting feeling of being caught. It was not just that, however. Cold chains wrapped around my soul, inhibiting my ability to use magic. I could not say I wasn't surprised in the least. They had all just shown the ability to break the rules.

They had just used the ability to _break_ the code of this world. I hated to accept the reality of what had just happened, but it was clear as day. All of my options were gone. In other words, I was genuinely scared.

 ***You can't show weakness…**

 ***That's how we wound up here in the first place…**

I chose to give Gaster's previous question no answer. He cocked his head to the side, an amused expression dawning on his face. "What's this?" He threw up his arms as if proclaiming something. "No comments? No comebacks?" Both times I remained unresponsive. "Did we really surprise you that much?"

My fists clenched in anger. If I had access to my magic, there would not even be dust left when I was done with him. The chains wrapping around my soul inhibited by ability to even summon magic, or attack at all. Something was holding me back, _and I couldn't break it._

My eyes shifted into a deep red in rage. " **Do you not believe I'll find a way to turn you all to corpses?"** Gaster's eye sockets narrowed in question. " **I will be honest, this is a clever trick you've done."** I admitted, a sick grin spreading across my face. " **Breaking the code of this world? Bravo to you…"** Clapping my hands in mockery, I laughed, " **Congrats, you've made this world unstable!"**

Yet, the scientist kept a straight face. He seemed to be completely unfazed, and ignored the stares from the other four allies. "Player, I have come to realize that I can't hold back any longer. If we want a chance, we would have to break all the rules. I am willing to run the risk if it means we have a chance to stop you!"

" **Listen to this, everyone! Your so-called hero decided to do just what I was trying to accomplish."** Shadows covered Gaster's eyes. Anger was beginning to take over his soul. " **The thing is Gaster, remember your real goal? When you met me, you planned on** _ **destroying**_ **humanity! What makes your goals any different from mine?"**

With a ping, my soul turned a dark shade of blue. It slammed onto the concrete, pulling me down with it.

240/250 HP

Cracks formed along the box we were trapped in. A health bar popped into existence above my head, showing the damage inflicted. _This was becoming all too strange._ A label of Karmic Retribution stood by, ready to drain my HOPE if anyone used a perseverance attack. Well, looks like I was back to regular old dodging.

Frisk stepped forward, shifting their soul to yellow. A crosshair appeared over their eye as they charged a beam. "Our goal is to protect the world. It was either we take the risk, or we let the world fall to you, regardless! And we'll do anything necessary to stop this!" The child exclaimed, readying for battle.

Asgore nodded in agreement, letting fire ignite from the tips of his trident. A waterfall of flames burst out, forcing me to leap to the left of the danger. A DT Blaster charged to life behind me, roaring as the red light within sprayed out. I barely had time to react, and the beam was able to clip my arm.

210/250 HP

Karmic Retribution coursed through my veins, leaving a cold ripple in its wake. Glancing up, I saw Asgore holding his trident out to the side. "Maybe in another time we could have known each other better. Maybe I could have helped more to prevent this… but now…" Shadows covered his eyes. They began flashing blue and orange in rapid succession. "You are nothing more than an empty shell…"

The king leapt forward, slashing back and forth with his trident. I had noticed his eye patterns, and was able to successfully stop and move when needed. I bent in and out of the slashes, freezing when a blue attack would fly in.

As soon as I thought the attack was over, Chara was behind me. A red knife gleamed in their hand as they slashed vertically. I bent backwards, narrowly avoiding the slash. _Maybe if I could steal the knife?_ Before I could even try that, a whip of fire lashed out from the side. With a backflip out of the way, I had sealed a fate for pain.

Yellow bullets swarmed the area, honing in on my soul. On instinct, I tried to summon magic to save me. Internally cursing, I remembered just what situation I was in. I relied too much on magic. The bullets tore through my body, prompting a yell of pain.

200/250 HP

I clutched my chest, seeing flames from Toriel's scepter fill the air. Her expression had gone cold, sending a shiver down my spine. "It did not have to be this way. But, I suppose there is no turning back now…" She spoke, anger filling her voice. "Thinking back, I now see just what you were."

The flames above her head shifted to an array of blue and orange. A few flames began spinning in place, before launching in my direction. Others simply zoomed right towards me, threatening to sear my skin. How did Frisk deal with this in the Underground. It beat me how they hadn't killed on first sight…

I threw myself to the side, still clutching the wound. It wasn't an actual wound, but more like a relentless sting from those magical bullets. This was taking too much of a toll. After all, if you thought about it, I was a fifth of the way dead… That didn't sit well in my stomach.

Yet another ping rang in my ears as my soul shifted to blue. Gaster flung his hand to the side, dragging me with it. DT Blasters awaited, charging massive beams in their maws. I rammed my feet into the ground, trying to slow my inevitable demise. It was as if fighting something that would never tire.

As I tried to stop myself, Frisk wrapped purple strings around my legs, tripping me up. The force overtook me, plunging me into the fray of bright red light. The karmic retribution felt like fire was internally burning through my organs.

150/250 HP

 _Now that had done some damage._

Frisk's soul turned back to red. They stood with a hostile frown on their face. "How did it feel? Did the feeling of strings wrapping around you feel horrible?"

I struggled to my feet, wanting to tear them apart. " **Don't worry! After this, the only thing you'll feel is the sweet relief of death!"** They let out a shudder at the sickening phrase. However, the smug expression on my face vanished when more whips of fire crackled through the air.

Before they could reach me, five balls of fire suddenly disappeared. _Suddenly, it seemed as if everything behind them disappeared into an endless void._ Gaster's eye sockets widened as the battle area was crumbling ever so slowly. It wasn't enough to end the battle right there, but it was worrying.

My head snapped to the scientist in question. " **You… IDIOT!"** Chara dashed forward, firing a yellow revolver at me. I bent out of the way, flipping on my hands. They responded with a knife slash. Jumping back, I saw their enraged expression.

"Do you think this is amusing? The WORLD is falling apart you psychopath!" Two orange gloves came to life over their fists. With a flurry of punches, they kept yelling, eyes glowing a deep red. "What the hell even fuels you to take so many lives?"

I caught one of the gloves in my hand, opposing them with that same creepy expression. " **Are you deaf? I have told you all so many times. But, y'know, if you really want to find out some clarification, try stopping me first!"**

Asgore cut through the air with his trident. Chara jumped out of the way as the monster landed, slamming down with his trident. A fiery shockwave roared from under his feet when he touched the ground. The trident threatened to impale me as he rammed it right for my chest. I bent over backwards, letting it pass over my head.

Strings wrapped around my foot, pulling it out from under me. Asgore raised his trident once more, slamming it right at the ground where I was vulnerable. I quickly tried to roll out of the way. One prong on the trident clipped my arm before I could escape.

125/250

I needed a way out of this. Without magic, I was in a corner. There was no way I could win this. Fists would not be enough.

Another chunk of reality was sucked into the void, causing the battlefield to tremble. If this didn't end quickly, we would all fall in this battlefield. A horrible realization dawned on me. What if Gaster knew this? Was this some suicide mission? " **You can't be serious with continuing this…"** I muttered.

Gaster grinned with a cracked smile. Lines of code dripped out of the void, beginning to take over the battlefield. _That is EXACTLY what this was!_

The other four glanced at the two holes in time, shock on their faces. A grimace formed on Chara's face. "Gaster! What are you doing?"

" **The one you so trustingly put your faith in… is doing EXACTLY what you think he is doing."** I spat, gaining the attention of everyone but Gaster. " **You're going to die. It's a suicide mission…"**

Toriel's anger shifted from me to Gaster himself. Her eyes narrowed dangerously at the emotionless scientist. "Gaster! This wasn't part of the plan!"

 ***The chains on your soul loosen…**

 ***Toriel's focus has weakened…**

A maniacal grin spread across my face. Maybe I could keep this up… " **And… he decided to take you all with him. But I suppose… Desperate times call for desperate measures…"**

 ***Toriel's focus is weakened even further…**

 ***KEEP IT UP!**

A look of alarm came onto Frisk's face. "Gaster! What are you even thinking?"

Heads turned for an answer. Gaster simply stood stiff, his eye lights nowhere to be seen. Everyone was beginning to grow extremely worried. What they didn't notice was the dissipation of magic on my soul.

Everyone froze when they realized what had just happened. " **If there is one thing that you all are lacking in, it's attention on the actual threat."** The fight button hovered over my hand, reformed now that the restraining magic had been taken away. Toriel immediately spun around, firing a bolt of fire at the fight button. It was quickly rejected by a green soul, being deflected off into the boundaries of the battle field. " **That trick won't work twice."**

Gaster was still standing, emotionless. That was fine. Red's sword came to life in my hand. The wings on my back began flapping up and down as I soared in Gaster's direction, ready to land for a strike. Whether they would block my assault or not was up to the monsters. After all, they only had roughly three seconds to react.

In a split second, something both shocking and terrifying had just occurred. My soul once again was changed to a dark shade of blue. Gaster held me in place, grinning as those hollow eyes stared back at me. The whipping of strings filled the air, but they weren't mine.

Chara let out a strangled gasp of shock. My head snapped to the side, a look of shock plastered on my face. Four giant hands had puppet strings coming off of the fingertips, and wrapping around Asgore, Toriel, Frisk, and Chara's arms and legs. Gaster slammed me into the side of the bullet board. Reality broke again, sending more coding into the battlefield.

The four tried to struggle against the magical binds, but received no results. They were fully under his control now. Honestly, it was quite laughable. " **You really are no different from me? Are you?"** Red strings weaved around my fingers at my will as I spoke. " **You call me out for being manipulative… but then you do the EXACT SAME THING."**

"The difference is… I am preventing the destruction of the rest of the timelines…" All four entities were shoved forward. "THROUGH ANY MEANS NECESSARY!"

" **Really? You drag your so called friends into a suicide mission, then wrench control from them?"** I stroked my non existent beard mockingly. " **At this rate, you'll steal my record!"**

DT Blasters formed over his head. "Player, if it means the other timelines will be safe, I will make this selfish sacrifice. You don't know what THAT even is!"

A dreadful silence followed. Shadows covered my eyes as that normal grin on my face disappeared. An unexpected chill filled the area as my eyes snapped open, turning a solid, demonic red. " **I DON'T KNOW WHAT SACRIFICE IS?"**

Souls spun around the arena uncontrollably as flames filled the air. " **Really, Gaster? Try dying for a chance! See how that feels to be wrenched from death because of YOUR plan."**

Asgore was forced to spin his trident in place, blocking against the bombardment of fire heading for Gaster. With rage in my eyes, I slashed reality with the blade I held. His trident split in half with a shatter as it disappeared into red magic. Gaster tried to maneuver the large monster out of the way, but failed when my sword slashed right at his skull. The strings that wrapped around Asgore's limbs guided him to take the blow for the scientist.

 **-9301493175**

The king fell to his knees, clutching the slash on his chest. Dust began flying through the air. "I…. I-I'm s-sorry Tori… I'm s-sorry I couldn't… pr-protect y…" His head drooped down as his HOPE met its end. Toriel tried to cry out to him, and resist Gaster's control. It was futile.

Asgore's soul was instantly tied up by red strings. The boss monster soul became simply part of the collection I had. I did not even blink at the dust spraying through the air, unlike the laments of the other three. Gaster was just like me, with that cold expressionless face. To get me away, he raised his hand into the air. Bones pierced through the battlefield, forcing me to retreat in an attempt to get away from the onslaught.

Eventually, I had enough. A familiar red outline of a weapon formed in my hand. Asgore's trident was now mine. I whipped it forward, slashing through bones trying to pierce through me. " **Yeah, I TOTALLY don't know what sacrifice is. I didn't just have to be forced to lose my fake family simply because YOU had a plan. That's totally what happened!"**

Chara's arm moved against its will, slashing with sporadic strikes. Lines of determination came to life, speeding towards me. Bones flipped into the air on my command, flying to counter the attack. The battlefield was being overtaken by glitching code. Soon, we would all die.

I began running forward again, keeping weapons unsummoned as to gain speed. Frisk moved forward, summoning a barrier to defend Gaster, no matter how much they struggled. Red's sword flashed into my hand. A vertical slash spread across the barrier, shattering it into two pieces.

The skeleton dodged to the left, narrowly avoiding a stab to his chest. A bone club manifested in his hand, parrying a second blow from Red's sword. Toriel was commanded to strike with her scepter. Strings guided her to swing horizontally, a wave of fire lashing out towards me. I dove under the incoming flames, performing a slide.

Before either Gaster or Toriel could react, the deed was done. I kicked her weapon out of her hand, allowing it to fly into the air. I caught it out of the air, grabbing it with both hands. With a swift motion, I drove the scepter right through the boss monster's chest.

 **-439184**

Frisk and Chara let out a cry of despair as the numbers dropped. The strings released her as yet another monster fell at my hand. Her own weapon stuck through her stomach, letting dust freely fly. Yet, she never frowned when she died.

Whenever I killed someone close, the same thing happened every time. I would feel some emotion I could no longer describe. I kept remembering what it was like to feel for other people. This is what I had become. My emotions were nearly gone. _I was nearly gone._ The woman who was once my mother for a short while could only muster a tearful smile at her children before her body faded into a cloud of dust.

My grip on the sword tightened as that lingering emotion disappeared into my soul once more. " **I wasn't the one who chose to lose so many damn years of my life."** I only felt one emotion. _Anger._ " **I was plagued with magic. I was plagued with the title of a player…"**

Gaster commanded Frisk and Chara to step forward with the two hands guiding them. "You chose this path player. This was all fixed when you continued, but you let yourself become corrupt because you refused to see the help given to you."

" **Fixed?"** I questioned, eyeing the coding creeping forward. " **Something that you monsters never understand is that death can't be fixed. It doesn't change how painful death was."** The battlefield was half of its size now. My left eye turned red as the respective side of the bullet board did the same. A blast of red magic erupted from the ground as the three dodged.

Glitched code replaced the area of the blast, restricting the battlefield to close quarters. Asgore's trident sparked to life in my hand. Frisk created a barrier, defending from the onslaught of slashes. Chara brought a knife to their hand, trying to gain a hit on me. " **That's why I can't go back now. This is who I am now."**

Gaster turned my soul blue, trying to send me flying into the coding. With a quick wave of my hand over my soul, it shifted back to its normal color. That trick wasn't gonna work. Yellow souls appeared from behind my back, firing beams of charged magic. Frisk's magic was being pushed too hard by Gaster to create barriers.

" **I finally had a place to call my own, until I was killed because of a sacrifice of yours."** The trident pierced through a barrier, ramming through the glass. Frisk didn't have time to register before three prongs of a trident impaled their body. Blood escaped their mouth as they coughed up the substance. " **And I know just how painful the deaths Frisk faced were…"**

The human crumpled to the ground, their HOPE draining in one hit. They barely had time to say something before their soul rose from their chest. "C-Char… please… s-stop him…"

Chara called out their name, trying to reach out to their friend. Their fists clenched, tears falling freely from their eyes. " _ **YOU MONSTER!"**_

 ***Chara and Gaster are now fighting in unison**

Their knife slammed down upon my sword, trying to break my defenses. A red shockwave resonated from the clash, letting a metallic sound fill the air. " **I'm the monster?"** I questioned, allowing the sword to begin glowing red. " **I am not a monster… I'm nothing more than a demon!"**

The red of the sword disappeared, creating a slash in the air between us. The most brutal death imaginable was created in that moment. Reality shattered across Chara's midsection, tearing them through space and time. They let out a strangled scream as they felt themself cut clean in half.

With only that small emotion lingering, I kicked them to the side, not minding that my childhood friend had just died. Chara had betrayed me since the beginning. They were the reason I wasn't able to finally have peace. I no longer cared for them. In fact, I hated them for that. Two red souls floated in the air over their motionless bodies.

Red strings wrapped around them, as I claimed my first red souls. New power filled me as I faced the last one in my way of Asriel. " **Gaster. You are the reason we are here. Just because you wanted so badly to exist, you destroyed the reset button so we could continue and bring back your soul."**

He did not even try to stop me.

" **I sacrificed my future indefinitely to bring you back… I sacrificed peace to continue…"** A true knife came to life in my hand as Chara's magic coursed through my veins. " **Don't even tell me what sacrifice is."**

His expression had become unreadable, as he made no move to stop me from striking. That was perfectly fine by me. This was for all the hell this forsaken skeleton had put me through. This is what they ALL deserved! A red slash carved through his bones, slicing them in half.

 **-419274953197**

Gaster didn't even wince when his HOPE was completely depleted from existence. His fragmented soul shattered in his chest as his emotionless eye sockets remained vacant. Why wouldn't he make a response? Would he make some final speech?

His eye lights sparked to life once more, as a cracked smile spread across his face. "It is done." With those words, he suddenly broke into glitching. His body dissolved into the code of the world, as the battlefield returned back to the normal streets of Ebott City.

I blinked a few times, seeing as everything returned to normal. I was back in the city, with my souls. Blood and dust coated the streets as I emotionlessly walked forward.

I no longer cared for anyone.

I no longer believed in anyone.

All I wanted was peace, and with erasure, I could finally have that.

But, something was keeping my LOVE from maxing out. There was still one part of me that thought I wasn't a true killer. Of course, there was always one that tried to find light in me. There was one who had never intentionally betrayed me… There was still one small prince who was crying his soul out.

Tough luck for him… because…

 ***There is only 1 left =D**

 **AN: Don't question why it isn't two because Alphys is in there. It will be covered next chapter.**

 **I'm pretty sure everyone knew it would come down to this moment, and I won't disappoint with these last chapters.**

 **We have a few more, and then we will have an epilogue which will contain a final note, shoutouts, and a special announcement.**

 **Also, TerminaTale viewers, I'm experiencing major writers block with that fic. Gimme a moment to sort things out.**

 **And school is starting again so... FML**

 **Are you guys ready for the finale?**

 ***1 left**


	56. Chapter 56

**AN: Before I start this chapter, I'd like to thank everyone who has read this. I'll leave a larger elaboration and thanks on the author's note in the epilogue, but for now... I hope this suffices...**

 **Chapter 56: One left**

How long had it been since the sounds of battle outside had stopped? Asriel was fearful that any moment the doors could fly open, and it would all be over. They had all been waiting for so long for me to show up, but there was no sign of me in the building. No sounds were made as human soldiers had guns pointed at the door.

No one was even making any sounds while they were breathing. Fear wriggled into their souls as the wait grew longer, and longer… Asriel was the most terrified, not even glancing to the door. He knew that _he_ was the one I wanted. This was hopeless, wasn't it? More innocent lives would disappear… and the world would be erased…

Tears began collecting in the corners of his eyes at the thought. Why had it all gone so wrong? Was this the world's way of telling him that there was no happy ending? _Was his belief in me just a lie?_ If the lack of noise from outside told him anything… it was… that they were all dead.

His parents would have returned by now. Chara and Frisk would be relieved, and trying to find a way to fix all of this. Gaster would be shuffling around, trying to find a way to fix this. Asgore and Toriel would be telling him everything would be all right… But, that was just a fantasy. Soon, it would all end, wouldn't it?

...No

There had to be a way to end this. Asriel refused to give up. No matter what, he would find a way to put an end to this. If he sat there doing nothing, everything everyone else sacrificed would be for nothing.

Gathering the strength to even stand, he pushed himself to his feet. The humans in the room glanced back at him in curiosity. None dared to take most of their focus from the door. The costs were too high if anyone was caught off guard. The one closest made a 'get back' motion with his arm to the monster. "Prince, get back behind us. That thing can come in any moment now."

Asriel shook his head. With determination in his eyes, he spoke, not missing a beat. "He wants me. I am going to meet him out there." His hand wrapped around the locket fastened around his neck. "If he wants to fight me… I won't let anyone else die because of it." He knew what he had to do. Whether trusting Gaster's plan was the best thing to do or not, it was his only option.

One of the humans looked at him like trees were growing out of his ears. "Are you insane? You're going to die out there!" His focus switched back to the door. "We are under orders to protect you. I'm sorry, prince, but we can't let you out of here."

Asriel fell to silence, allowing the soldier to face back to the door. Did they want to die? He and Alphys were the only monsters left in the city, and there weren't many who had left for other places. What did it mean to them? If he knew one thing, it was that no more would have to die. This was his fight, and Asriel couldn't bear seeing more people die.

"Then thanks for the effort… but I have to go…" Gold light surrounded his body as he readied to teleport. He hated using this as a form to get out of situations, but it was the most effective way to do so.

One of the men saw it in the corner of his eye, and frantically tried to stop him. He reached his hand out,trying to grab a hold of Asriel. "Hey! Sto-" He tried to yell, but it was too late. Asriel was already gone, and for all they knew, he had walked straight to his death.

However, the monster had not appeared outside quite yet. Sure, he knew what he had to do. He was fully aware that he must face me, alone. But, that didn't mean he couldn't have help. Alphys could do something to help him, right? The scientist had to have thought of something. Maybe Gaster had left something?

The remembrance of Gaster's plan echoed through his mind. Right, the scientist _had_ created something. It was just that he had no idea what it would do. Asriel didn't want to use whatever that project ended up resulting in. Gaster had a history of deception.

Should he have just stayed under the protection of the humans? This was a bad idea, but it was the only one he had. Knowing perfectly well that the humans wouldn't stand a chance, he felt obligated to leave. Seeing anyone die just felt so alien to him. His years as Flowey had taken its toll on him, and he hated being reminded of just what he used to be. It _hurt._

That was no longer the issue. This fight was between me and him. The possibility of failure meant that the world would be erased. But, that wouldn't be it. I wouldn't stop there, would I? _Every timeline would cease to exist._ He was the last defense.

He pushed open the door to where many of the scientists had been working mere hours ago, All of them had presumably fled, or… The thought trailed off in his head. He had been down that path once… and… he just wanted to forget the action he had taken not even two weeks ago at most. I had saved him that day, for the second time. A question came to mind when thinking about it. What had changed to make me into this thing?

The lab he had just entered was completely vacant. Not one sign of life remained. Where was Alphys? Where were the rest of the humans? "A-Alphys?" He called out, only receiving an echo of his own voice in response. "A-Are you i-in here?"

*But nobody came

Asriel didn't want to think about her fate. He believed he already knew just what had happened to her. Tears started pricking in his eyes as he thought more and more about it. This was all so wrong… "Why…?" He asked to open air. "Why did it have to all end this way?" There was no answer to his question. No one would answer him anymore. Nearly everyone in the city was gone, and the world would be vanquished.

Was there any sign of what happened here? There were no piles of dust anywhere in the room, so… there was no way Alphys could have died. Had Alphys kept any entries of what was going on? Deciding on checking her computer for information, he began walking to the desk it was still situated on.

That was until his foot splashed into something on the floor. A cold chill ran down his spine as he looked to see just what he had stepped in. He immediately wished he hadn't. There was a giant puddle of some goop-like substance on the floor. Bile came up his throat as he nearly vomited on the floor. If he had learned anything about the amalgamates, then it confirmed what he was looking at.

The monster ran to the other side of the room, getting as far away from that puddle as possible. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or horrified that it wasn't moving. If it was a living amalgamate, that would cause too many problems. But, if it wasn't moving… that would mean…

With a purpose, he opened the computer, frantically searching for a folder that would house the entries. There it was. Sitting right there would be the answer to what had happened here. His eyes scanned the various entries, horror written on his face.

This all boiled down to him, didn't it? Whether the timelines existed or not after today would be up to him. Gaster had created the counter, and it seemed to be the only thing to stop me. He'd _have_ to use it then, wouldn't he? Then, his eyes came upon the last entry.

Entry 23: Undyne is dead… Sans and Papyrus are dead… Soon, everyone will be dead… too… I can't stand here and watch anymore. I have a little bit of spare determination… I'm going to try to use it to enhance my magical abilities… and maybe I can make a difference. This is my final message. For anyone reading this… I don't know if this will work, but if it doesn't… I'm sorry.

Cold, hard realization came upon him. That thing wasn't just an amalgamate. It… was what was left of Alphys. She had tried to inject herself with determination… and had failed. Did she not have enough hope to sustain her body?

So many people had died. SO MANY had perished because of my actions. So why? What was my motivation behind all of this. It wasn't the me that he knew. This wasn't who he had been a brother to. What was going on?

Asriel wanted to unleash his power. He wanted to use his magic to finally beat some sense into me. The boy was at his breaking point, and he was slowly deteriorating from all this stress. He even had his boundaries. He was just so angry, so betrayed because of what I had become. What ever happened to the fun life before everything went to hell? The constant hug attacks and teasing each other…

But now… that would never happen.

No… he had to keep a level head. Anger would just drive him to be just what I had become. If he was going to end this, he'd to it the way that none had tried yet. Of course, it was a stupid plan, but it was the only thing that would work at this point. He knew he stood no chance against me at full strength. But, he wasn't going down without a good attempt. He had no choice, anyway.

From the corner of his eye, he could see a gold glow resonating from a machine. He knew the mechanical piece very well. How had they even gotten the DT Extractor here in the first place? It wasn't the machine that sparked his curiosity. It was the syringe that rested within, glowing with a golden light shining outward.

He cautiously stepped forward, inching closer and closer with an outstretched hand. Was this the experiment Gaster was talking about? As he got closer to it, the substance within began glowing with ferocity as if reacting to his presence. This had to be what Gaster and Alphys were referring to in the entries.

His hand slowly wrapped around it, taking it from the extractor. As he held it, he felt his hand trembling when holding the syringe. It just felt so wrong to be holding whatever power was in there. But, he had to use it. If all else failed, this would be the only counter.

Taking a deep breath, he readied himself for the final fight between the two of us. So long ago we had clashed in his Omega form. Now, it was him versus me with no souls on his side. The tables had completely turned, and he was no longer confident in himself anymore. Now that he was advancing towards the end to all of this, confidence quickly drained.

As he walked, he sadly reflected on everything leading up to this. Looking back, he hadn't actually known me THAT long. It was a wonder just how we had gotten to know each other so well. Was it simply because of the connection Players had with the people of this world? Or… was it just normal people wanting to be friends?

He was nearing the exit to the building now. It was hard to accept the reality that maybe the only way through this would be to kill. After all, he had no idea what this syringe would do. It could shatter my soul to pieces, or it could stop the corruption that I had become. This was all so vague.

Asriel had to retain one thing that would drive him through all of this.. He had to keep his faith, his hope, his compassion. But most of all, for the sake of every timeline, he had to stay determined.

Pushing open the double doors that led outside, he braced himself for whatever would wait him.

A bone pierced up through the ground, cutting him across his leg before he could dodge.

 **-20**

His soul turned blue as he soared through the air, crashing into the side of a building.

 **-100**

He didn't have much hope to begin with. At maximum he had only around five hundred. He wouldn't be able to take this. Asriel coughed up dust, trying to get to his feet.

Yellow bullets met him, piercing through his body with blazing soul magic.

 **-80**

Raising his hand in the air, Asriel desperately tried to use a flame wall to block incoming lightning strikes. The sparks zapped through as if the wall wasn't even there, coming upon the defenseless monster in an instant.

 **-100**

 ***Nowhere to run, nowhere to hide…**

The tingling sensation of magic made its way into his soul as he felt something approaching. Without so much as needing a visual to do so, a spinning star appeared in front of his arm, protecting his body. He got lucky as Asgore's trident crashed upon the star. Luckily, his magic was able to hold the attack off.

It was enough to stop the attack's quick succession for just a moment.

" **Strange…"** A familiar yet unfamiliar voice reached his ears. " **If only you wouldn't have blocked that attack… it would all have ended. That would have been so much easier on both of our fractured souls..."** He knew who he was fighting, but he didn't want to see what I had come to be.

Asriel slowly rose to his feet, shadows over his eyes. This was his fear, wasn't it? No remorse being shone… I was right, in a sense. That would have made it a lot easier for him to simply give up. However, he wouldn't just lay down and die. The timelines needed him. _I_ needed him.

" **Not going to fight back?"** I questioned, tilting my head to the side. No response was given as magic flared into the air from the souls I had collected. " **Not even going to talk?"** Deathly silence followed, confirming the suspicion. If he wanted to play the silent game, then so be it. " **Your grave."**

 **Song: Undertale - Burn in Despair Breaks Remix by DeltaHedron Mixes**

Asriel leapt to the side, strings whipping the ground where he once stood. The crackle of flames met his ears as fire rained from the blood red sky. What had he gotten himself into? His right eye burned gold as Royal Guardians raised into the air.

The orbs in the centers turned a rainbow color. Stars burst from the Royal Guardians, zooming forth at unfathomable speeds. They met with the flames in the air, destroying the hot gas. However, none of them were trying to hit me… What was he playing at?

The true knife came into existence in my hand. With sporadic slashes, I made red curves of determination in midair. They sprung to life, honing in on Asriel. He was ready, flipping out of the way of one, ducking under another. One nearly clipped his ear, but he managed to sidestep just on time. There was no room for error.

This was already looking bad for him. Without a doubt, I had not even begun to show my true strength yet. How was he supposed to manage this? Green magic wiped over his soul, turning it green. Bolts of fire were coming from all sides, getting closer by the second. A star appeared over his arm, effectively making a shield.

He had never done this before, so this would be difficult. In his time as Flowey, his soul couldn't be turned a different color as he didn't _have_ one. How was he supposed to figure out which ones to block first? Gritting his teeth, he raised his palm into the air, ditching using the star for defense. Fire walls appeared around him, absorbing the attacks.

His soul shifted back to white as mobility returned. What he didn't see was a spear piercing through the protective wall. On instinct, he threw his body out of the way. It was too late. The spear cut a large scar across his arm, spraying dust into the air.

 **-130**

I stood in front of him, dissipating magic. Arching a brow, I suggested, " **How about… maybe you learn to fight back? You aren't accomplishing anything by letting yourself die…"** I spread my arms out, as if asking him to hit me. " **Come on, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt!"**

*Player awaits your move…

Asriel refused, choosing to instead ACT. "Please… can we just talk about this? We don't need to fight!" His voice came out strained, as if wondering if what he was saying was true. "I don't want to fight you… neither of us do…"

" **Even after all I've done, you still believe I will use MERCY?"** I questioned, placing my hands in my pockets. " **You naive fool."**

*Player awaits your move…

His hand wrapped around the heart locket as he tried to remain defiant. He refused to fight, that was for certain. Anger would NOT take him over. "That isn't true! We can still go back on this. We can find a way to fix this all!" The air grew still. "Frisk believed anyone could be saved, but forgot about their own morals… I won't go down that same path! I believe you can still change!"

" **How can you expect to spare that which doesn't deserve mercy?"** I asked, still allowing myself to be fully vulnerable to an attack. " **Furthermore, how do you spare that which doesn't want it in the first place."** My arms lowered, flames igniting from my palms. " **Don't you see, Asriel? I can't be saved. I can't be spared. You can only FIGHT!"**

Fire spiraled around my body, taking aim at the monster. Asriel was ready, sending stars to slice through the offending magic. That was merely a distraction. Bones pierced through the ground, threatening to drive right through his body.

 _All those attempt trying to beat Sans as Flowey were paying off._

He felt the familiar magic, jumping into the air. The bones made their assault, stopping at they could not reach any farther. His foot balanced on the tip of one, allowing him to gain height on me. I flew into the air, summoning Asgore's trident into my hand. My eyes flashed orange and blue, alerting him of the attack.

Performing a backflip, he jumped over the attack. The extra height added allowed him to leap over another group of bones piercing to him. He slid back slightly upon touching the ground, using his hand to stop himself.

The magic once against disappeared. " **Why won't you fight back?"** A revolver spun around my finger before I wrapped my fingers around it. " **This only makes your death come faster."** Bullets from the yellow souls joined my onslaught, taking aim.

Fire ignited from his fingertips, trying to stop the bullets. Nothing happened so he was forced to block with a star. The strain on his magic was becoming too much. "I won't give up on you! No matter how much you try to make me think otherwise!" Shadows covered my eyes at his words. "I still care about you, and I know that you still care about me deep down…"

A flicker sounded through the air as my soul appeared on my chest. It was nearly fully corrupted by black. In the center, a small, thin beam of gold light still shone through, as if trying to escape. My body changed, turning me back to the resemblance of a monster.

The heart locket was still wrapped around my neck. I held my chest, gripping at my soul in panic. "A-Asriel?" I asked, shakily trying to smile. It took everything I had to not fight again. "Please… I don't have much time."

"B-Bennett? Is that really you?" He began trembling as he was finally able to see me as myself one more time. I nodded slowly, nearly crying at how painful it was to retain this. My soul felt like it was rupturing. Asriel wasted no time running up to me, presumably trying to embrace me into a hug.

His soul turned blue with a ping. My hand was outstretched, preventing him from moving from that spot. "You can't do that." I started, keeping a cold expression on my face. Confusion displayed on his face as he could no longer move. "I need you to listen to me…"

Nodding, he asked, "W-What do you need me to do?"

Both of our souls burst from our chest, as if calling to each other. "I can still give you the power to fight back." Our souls resonated with each other, shining with ferocity.

He stiffened at what I had just said with reluctance on his face. "Why? We don't need to fight each other. You can fix this!"

"If only it was that easy…" I muttered, lending Asriel my power. I had only done this once, and that was when I was dead. "Asriel, the only way to stop me is to kill me… I-I can't stay like this for much longer."

Why was he so persistent? "No! I won't hurt you! Why won't you understand?"

My body was slowly changing back… With a blank expression, I answered, "You never had a choice."

Our souls returned to our chests, bringing back a rush of magic and emotion. Asriel let out a yell of pain, falling to the ground. The transfer was complete. He clawed at his chest as his soul began turning upright. He knew what this was… I was giving him his hyperdeath form, just like the strange events that occurred while he was fighting Gaster…

Horns grew from his head, sharpening at the tips. He was enveloped in a gold light as he grew taller. His clothes changed to white and gold robes. Streaks of gold fur grew on his face as his eyes inverted. His magic was enhanced, raising his ATK, DEF, and HOPE.

Panting from the stress, he glanced up at me. I gave one last smile, allowing shadows to cover my eyes. Red strings shot out from my hands, pulling something into existence. His mercy option was twisted with them, cracking under pressure. "I'm sorry, Asriel. But mercy isn't an option…"

It broke into shards, crashing to the void as if it was never there.

" **Now…"** His head snapped back to me, seeing that I was no longer there. " **How about you fight little Azzy… Make this interesting for me!"**

 **Song: Undertale REMIX - "Your Last Dream" ('Hopes and Dreams; His Theme') by TGH**

Asriel's eyes widened as I was already attacking without much warning. With a sword in hand, I performed a vertical slash to his head. A chaos sabre flickered to life in his hand, blocking the blow. Sparks filled the space between us as reality threatened to shatter.

We both teleported out of the way, appearing a longer distance from each other. Asriel tried to say he wouldn't fight me, but the words caught in his throat. His option to spare was completely gone. That didn't change that he refused to attack. His arms spread out wide, sparks emanating from his fingertips.

He was right to do so as well. Spears rained from the heavens, threatening to impale him. Rainbow lightning crashed upon them, reducing them to nothing but a bit of magic in the air. I appeared right behind him, slashing with the sword once more. It hit its mark, sending him to his knees with dust spraying out behind him.

 **-10**

That did not to as much damage as expected…

 ***Asriel Dreemurr: 750 ATK 500 DEF 990/1000 HP**

 ***A being given a fraction of the power a PLAYER contains.**

 ***Too bad he will never know how to actually make that power useful…**

Two sentinels came to my aid, firing beams of fire at the enhanced monster. Two massive stars crashed upon them, putting them up in flames. I would kill for a DT Blaster right now. But, I was never able to get that from Gaster. I raised my hand, allowing hundreds of bones to fly into the air.

Comets exploded from Asriel's palms, honing in on the projectiles. They met in the air, exploding into a burst of color. Blue souls began forming gravity changes on the road we were fighting on. I flung a flame to the side, the souls taking it to an unpredictable destination.

Asriel was ready, watching as it changed course over and over, as if being guided by an unknown force. Well, technically it was… He sensed magic coming from his side as he blocked with a star. Lightning crashed against it, not doing anything. Why was he not fighting back? He kept using his magic for only defense…

Green magic sparked in his hand, healing the wound on his back. Great, now he could heal? Who cares, that wouldn't matter. " **If you're so content on trying to do anything but fight me…"** Two red souls appeared in my palms, pulsing weakly. Asriel's eyes opened wider at what he was seeing. " **Maybe they can convince you!"**

Both of my eyes turned solid red. The souls rushed towards Asriel, forming into lost souls. Both held knives, making a charge at the monster. Two chaos sabres appeared in his hands as he blocked the blow, shoving them off of him. He dodged to the side as a slash of energy nearly clipped him.

A sharp pain in his side made him yelp as a lost soul's dagger drove through his side.

 **-50**

It hadn't done much compared to his health. However, he remained defiant. "Bennett, please… come back. This isn't you!"

" **Who is this you are calling to?"** The beginning of strings wrapped around my fingers, ready to strike. " **How do you expect someone to come back when they are standing right before you. I am him, the** _ **real**_ **him."**

The souls came back to my hand, disappearing within my own. Asriel tried to heal himself again, using green magic to do so. The magic suddenly was forced out of his reach, disappearing from his soul entirely.

Red strings enveloped another option. It simply had "heal" enscripted on it. " **Interesting… I always wondered how monster's item usage would work…"** The button shattered into small pieces, inhibiting his ability to heal himself. " **Oops! Looks like we'll never know!"**

He could only fight and act now…

"You can break all of my options. It doesn't change that I won't hurt you! This isn't right!" Pleading, he bowed his head. "You know it isn't…"

Asriel raised his head, seeing my monster form once more. Red strings were fastened around his ability to act, slowly crushing it. "Asriel…" My fingers clenched inward, cracking it even more. "I can't undo what I've done. You are the only one who can put an end to all of this…"

Why didn't he understand that what he was doing just hurt us both?

"That's why… I need you to stop me before it's too late…"

The option shattered, only leaving him with the option of fighting. I clutched my head in pain, trying to stop the impulse to attack again. Once more, it was futile. In an instant, I was already rearing back for an attack. " **Or else you'll perish with the rest."**

His soul turned purple as three beams made of bones burst through the ground. Asriel was forced up with them, standing upon them because of how wide they were. It wasn't like he could use his normal flying ability that he normally had. His purple soul was keeping him bound to the three bones.

Fire burned over the bones, going in different directions. Asriel leapt from one bone to another, timing it just well enough so the fire would miss him. One bone suddenly shuddered under him before disappearing. He jumped from it just fast enough to grab onto one in the middle. Lightning sparked into his hands as two bright bolts broke both bones, taking away the purple soul's effect.

He couldn't ACT. A star appeared in his hand, as he had to fight.

 _Whoever said he had to hit me?_

The star missed its mark by a large margin. I arched a brow at the insignificant projectile, watching it go off into the distance. " **Oh, you can't be serious…"** Anger began taking over my soul. " **WHY? Why won't you just fight back!"**

Asriel slowly walked forward, as if trying to reach out to me. Why was I feeling this way? Panic was written on my face as I stepped back, trying to get distance. What was this feeling? What was he doing? " **If you think you're making a difference, you're wrong!"**

A circle of Gaster Blaster's appeared over his head. A Royal Guardian created a green bubble over him, blocking the blasts. As the shield disappeared, red strings whipped at his soul, trying to trap him. Fire engulfed Asriel's hands, burning the edges of the strings. Fire burned up the strings, turning them to ashes.

I leapt forward with a true knife in hand. His sword appeared, blocking the attack. I tried to push forward to gain an advantage over him. He remained defiant, showing extreme resistance. Teleporting out of the way, he appeared a short distance behind me, still refusing to fight back.

Bones, spears, and fire all took aim on the monster, all trying to gain a hit. Comets swirled around him, swiftly taking out every single projectile with ease. Asriel wasn't even breaking a sweat. This power he had was giving him too much strength… " **Why… Why won't you fight back?"**

Orange gloves appeared over my hands as I charged forward. I struck with my left, getting rejected by Asriel grabbing my hand. My right tried to uppercut him in the face, only for him to teleport out of the way.

A grimace formed on my face. " **Fight or die!"** I didn't even attack this time. However, sentinels appeared at my sides, threatening to fire if he didn't fight me. " **This is your final warning."**

"When will you understand that fighting isn't an option?" He asked, holding a star in his hand. "I'll show you how we can win without fighting!" The star spun off, missing the attack.

Shadows covered my eyes as my grip on the true knife tightened. I didn't even speak as magic came to life in all forms.

Asriel's soul turned green, spears attacking from the sides. Once again, fire walls blocked the spears, reducing them all to nothing. Under him, bones threatened to pierce the ground. He jumped up into the air, flying above the bones with a rainbow trail following behind him.

Sentinels fired blue shock waves, forcing him to stand still. Midway, another one turned orange, shooting beams which forced him to alternate. Strings tried to wrap around his feet to tie him to the ground as to prevent him from moving. The ground under him caught on fire on his will, burning them away.

Stars once more reduced the sentinels to nothing, destroying that method of attacking. He snapped his fingers, allowing his hyperdeath form to slowly disappear. _What was he doing?_ Why did he give up that power that had helped him so much?

Asriel began running towards me, not minding the attacking heading his way. Knife slashes cut across his path, trying to obstruct him. He strafed to the sides, the slices narrowly missing him by inches. Gaster Blasters appeared on both sides of his path, all charging up. He jumped into the air, riding on a star as they all missed.

A knife appeared in my hand as he was only a few meters away. He wasn't going to do this. As soon as he was close enough, I brought the knife down, unknowingly causing the end of the battle.

My hand was stopped in midair. The knife never connected, as I was trying to process what I was feeling. Asriel was hugging me… After everything I had done… why was he doing this? Why did he care so much? " **Why…?"** I hopelessly wondered, the knife trembling in my hand. " **WHY?"** Why couldn't I just bring that knife upon him?

"Please…" He begged, tightening his embrace. Tears were staining my shirt. Why was he doing this? What did he gain from any of this?

" **I don't understand…"** I muttered, shaking in confusion. Why? What was he doing? Didn't he know I had killed everyone? I had the lives of many with me here… I had dust and blood on my hands. " **I don't understand!"** _I hadn't even noticed I was crying._

The light that remained in my soul began shining brighter, trying to dominate the rest of it. The knife slipped from my hand, clattering to the ground. For a moment, I was able to feel again. I turned back into a monster, falling to the ground in pain. _It felt like I hadn't felt any emotions for ages._

My mind raced, trying to find an explanation. Nothing felt right. This wasn't how things worked. _Someone doesn't just help you when you KILL everyone they love._ That wasn't how this world worked. No one would do that. The rest of the monsters and humans had proven that they would fight when threatened. That's what anyone who was smart would do.

I hadn't noticed, but Asriel was sitting next to me. He placed a hand on my shoulder, making me flinch at his touch. It wasn't even hostile in the slightest… When I looked up, confused, he was just smiling. It was the most sincere I had ever seen. What was he playing at?

I couldn't understand just why he thought this was doing anything. I could revert back. I could kill him at any moment, yet he acted as if that didn't matter. "Are you all right?"

He… was concerned about _me?_ I had hurt him so much. If anything, I should have been the one asking him that. He hadn't even dared to hurt me. Why was he so worried about me? "W-Why do you care so much?" My breath hitched as I put my head in my hands. "Is t-this some joke?"

"I thought you'd say that…" Asriel admitted, wiping a tear from his eye. "I don't think anyone can't be saved… You are no exception." My soul felt like it was breaking at what he was saying. Why did he believe in me?

Dust still covered my hands from all the dead monsters I had killed. Blood still stained my fur. They were proof of all the life I had taken. "Why do you still look at me the same when I've killed so many people… Yet, you still treat me like your brother…"

Asriel's looked at me right in the eyes and spoke, "Holding onto that anger just turns us to horrible actions. That's how you got here… right?" He knew me more than I knew myself. I hadn't even known him for that long, yet he already knew just how I felt… "You were angry at the world… and you finally couldn't take it…"

"That doesn't excuse what I've done!" _It truly didn't._ "I can't fix this, Asriel. I can't reset all of this…" It wasn't truly hopeless. "That's why I wanted you to kill me. YOU can fix this Asriel. You are the angel depicted in the Delta Rune. You can still save everyone…" I didn't want to meet Asriel's gaze, as I did not want to see his expression of horror. "I can't be saved. This was how it had to end."

"I-I don't understand…" His voice had become shaky now in panic. "Why do I have to k-kill you? You know I can't do that!"

"Both of the Angels, you and Chara, have the power to restore a ruined world… but with a price…" I didn't want to finish the thought, as he would never do this. "You have to have every soul… that's how Chara restored the world when it was erased…"

"NO!" He interjected, as expected. "I can't kill! I won't do i-"

"There is… an exception…" This was where nothing would work. This was why I wanted him to kill me… I wished he wouldn't have cared so much… "If… one of you can use the full strength of a player… it's possible to cheat it…" _There was no way around it. I had to die…_

Asriel fell to silence, nearly breaking into tears again. Both of us knew the pain of what he'd have to do… "There's… n-no other way?"

I shook my head, torn at my seams. If he killed me, I'd finally be able to be at peace. Everyone would be happy… So why… Why did he care so much? "Asriel, I don't know how else to say this… If you don't kill me… you'll never see anyone again."

I stood up, refusing to meet his eyes. "You don't understand that not everyone CAN be saved. This world doesn't work that way…" When would he understand? "I'm no exception."

"There has to be a different way! There always is!" Asriel exclaimed, standing up as well. "You found a way to save me when I thought there wasn't a way! Chara was able to come back! Gaster was revived for a short while!"

"And the world will come back to reap its rewards…" I sighed, not wanting to accept the reality either. "You can't just bring someone back to live without consequences… My death was Gaster's consequence. This was Chara's consequence. And now? The world has come back to get its payment for you…"

I turned around, finally remaining firm enough to look at him in the eyes. He looked so lost… "Don't you understand, Asriel? There is no other way… It's not like sparing me will change anything… The corruption isn't even g-"

I let out a grunt of pain as my soul clenched from some unknown force. The corruption that had overtaken it was coming back, fast. I slouched over, gasping for breath at the pain of losing emotions again. "W-What?" Asriel rushed forward, catching me before I could fall. "B-Bennett?!"

" **Ooooh you've made a grave mistake little Azzy!"** He let out a gasp of shock, realizing what had just happened. A fist punched him in the chest, making him fall backwards onto his back. " **All you had to do was kill me… and everyone would have lived!"**

He had no chance to recover as I was upon him, pinning him to the ground. My hands wrapped around his neck, cutting off his breathing. "S...Stop…" He begged weakly, struggling to move.

" **This is all because of you. All you had to do was finish me off, but you're too weak."** My soul still pulsed on my chest. The gold light in the center was dimming slowly. " **And now… every timeline will fall."**

His eyes darted for any form of escape. He couldn't teleport, as it would just take me with him. But, there it was. The first time I had attacked him, he must have dropped it and forgotten in a rush of adrenaline. The golden syringe laid on the ground, not many feet away from him. His arms were free, but he refused to attack me with them. Reaching out he tried to gain a hold of his saving grace.

Before I could realize what he was doing, he had already grabbed it. " **Don't you d-"** I was cut off as I felt immeasurable amounts of pain. Everything hurt… It was as if the life was not being taken out of me… but it felt as if I was being split into pieces. My whole existence felt like it was fading…

Something else was there… Something began growing inside of me. It felt so wrong. I let out a scream of pain, feeling something I hadn't before. I couldn't make out what it was. I couldn't fully understand what was happening…

That was until the pain stopped.

I no longer felt the corruption. It… was gone… Just like that, everything had disappeared… "Is… it finally over?" I asked to open air. Slowly, I gazed around the unchanged street that we had fought on. The world was still in ruin… so why…

 _Where was Asriel?_

I began to panic, looking in all directions for the boy. Much to my shock and relief, he was a short distance away. But… he wasn't moving. "ASRIEL!" I yelled, rushing to his side in an instant.

*But nobody came…

Cradling his limp form in my arms, I tried to check for a pulse. Did monster's even have an actual heart? I was fully trembling now. Why wasn't he responding. "Come on! Stop playing tricks on me!" Tears fell onto his fur. No, this wasn't happening. I tried shaking him, calling his name… Then…

I tried to pull out his soul…

Nothing. There was nothing.

There was no soul there. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how hard I screamed, kicked, tried to somehow reset a file… _There was nothing left…_

"Azzy… please… don't go…" I begged, trying to gain any sign of a response. Slowly, something began happening. I let out a scream of agony as his body began deteriorating. "WHY?" Dust was filling the air. "WHY CAN'T THEY JUST BE HAPPY?"

Without even having the chance to say goodbye… he was gone.

I no longer cared. So many thoughts filled my head. I didn't want to be here. I wanted to wake up. Was this a dream? Was this all just some purgatory where I atoned for my sins? No… it was all real. I knew that, deep down. So, I asked one more question… "Why do I have to be living when they deserve life more than me…?"

All that was left of him was the heart locket he had worn forever. It was covered in his dust… laying right next to me. Sobbing, I slowly lifted the chain from the ground. "Why did you have to believe in me… Azzy…?"

" **Y'know, I'll never understand it either!"** That familiar voice exclaimed behind me. I whirled around, a crushing reality coming upon me. " **Why so surprised?"** It looked just like me. No, it _was_ me. " **Y'know, when Asriel got the idea to stab our soul, I thought it was all over! Too bad it only delayed the inevitable."**

"What… are you?" I questioned in disbelief. I had a feeling…

" **Don't act like you don't know!"** It raised a red knife into the air, readying for a strike. " **I am you, and you are me."** Demon-like wings sprouted from its back as it rose into the air. I scrambled backwards in fear, knowing what was happening. " **We did this. We brought the demise of this world… And now… we can finish the job!"** It lended its hand to me, offering its power. " **Come on… join me, and let's finish what we started!"**

The choice was clear to me. I had done this. I was fully responsible for what had occurred, and what would happen to the rest. "No." _And I would reap the penalty._ "I'm not going to give up everything everyone worked for. Everyone sacrificed their lives to stop me, and I didn't listen!" The thing before me cocked its head to the side with amusement. "I'll fight to stop what I created, even if I die in the process."

The red glowing eyes on it closed for a moment. It looked so wrong, staring at an exact replica of how I looked as a human. " **Pity…"** Red magic swirled at the tip of the knife, as if charging it with power. " **I'm afraid you've misunderstood…"** It brought the knife down, a massive slash cutting through time. " **YOU NEVER HAD A CHOICE!"**

Nines covered the empty space, cutting away at the world. I tried to let out a choked yell, but only managed to cough up dust. Screams of humans and monsters alike filled the air, as their souls were claimed by what I was.

The world was disappearing…

It was being erased…

The timeline was reduced to nothing more than a memory of what was a bright future. With the simple slash of a knife, it was nothing.

But it didn't stop there. The sound of a slash echoed through the void as entire timelines were consumed by erasure. Souls continued being claimed to the being that had done this all. I had done this… and the thing doing all of this was a representation of my sins. Every timeline remotely close to what mine was had been erased.

Any timeline under the file "Undertale" had disappeared.

It advanced through the void, ready to cross the wall that separated it from the different timelines. As it tried to walk through the barrier that separated it from the rest of the timelines… an unknown resistance pushed it back. " **Interesting…"** It murmured, staring at the invisible wall. " **It seems I don't have every soul…"**

It turned around, scanning the vacant void for any signs of life. What could it be? He had Gaster's complete soul already, so it definitely wasn't him. A rainbow light caught its attention. " **Ah… how could I have forgotten."** It flicked its knife back and forth in glee. " **I wonder how this could have happened!"**

I was on the void floor, struggling to so much as move. How was I not dust yet? How was I still alive? It had my soul… the timelines were erased… An inverted white soul appeared before my eyes, trembling as if about to explode.

I reached out to the soul, recognizing just what it was. "Az…. why…? Why… did you sacrifice… yourself for… me?" That wasn't mine. That was Asriel's soul. He had… sacrificed his own soul to keep me from falling completely…?

Now, it didn't matter. He had sacrificed himself for nothing. I would be erased as well… as soon as the soul gave up… That thing would come back for me. It knew I was alive, and soon… I'd be back where I started. Everyone would die. And, I could do _nothing_ about it. I had not only ruined the lives of the people in my world, but I had ruined the lives of _every living thing in existence._

A rainbow glow forced me to bring my attention to it. As painful as moving was, I forced myself to lift my head enough to see the force. A rainbow outline wrapped around the soul, as if keeping it from shattering. It felt as if something warm was calling me out of the urge to sleep. Something wanted me to continue.

*Don't give up. I'm here with you all the way.

The soul placed itself back in my chest. I felt another presence cheering me on as I slowly got to my feet. The pain was gone, and I felt hope coursing through my soul. What I had created was approaching fast.

I knew what I had to do.

I had to avenge everyone who died.

I had to protect all the rest.

And as far as I was concerned…

There was only 1 left.

The shadow of the Player loomed over me, as if ecstatic that there was an extra fight. I had done this. I had killed everyone. There was no way to amend for what I did. There was no way to go back to how things were before… I had to protect the rest.

I was filled with DETERMINATION.

 **AN: "Sometimes I'm scared to see myself and I wish I were someone else. I hate how I'm not who I'm supposed to be and I'm just my own worst enemy."**

 **Did I get you?**

 **DID I MAKE YOU WANT TO KILL ME?**

 **So no, this isn't indeed the finale. That's NEXT chapter.**

 **I've been planning this twist for SO LONG and it feels so good to finally get it out. EVERYONE believed this was the finale. Oh boy... I am just as excited to write the final conclusion. No tricks this time.**

 **Also, for those of you wondering, TerminaTale is on HIATUS until this fic ends. I need the spare time to take a breather, and I'll be able to work on it more after.**

 **So, stay tuned for the final chapter hopefully by this weekend or even earlier.**

 **Now, I must go drink your tears.**

 **See ya for the ACTUAL finale!**

 **BadDRUMMERboy15 is a troll**


	57. Chapter 57

**Chapter 57: You are filled with HOPE and DETERMINATION**

The sounds of pure serenity were all that I heard as I laid on the ground, unmoving. Extremely shallow water rippled around my still body as I tried to make sense of what was happening. Where was I? Was this what death felt like?

Struggling to push myself up, pain registered in my head. No, I wasn't dead. But, how had I gotten here? I didn't remember anything about suddenly being in some sort of lake. By the looks of it, I was sitting in only an inch of shallow water. However, that wasn't it. This water stretched across the horizon, as if never ending.

I looked around, trying to see if there was any sight of anything not in the liquid. There was no such luck, as it seemed to be endless in all directions. Gazing up, I was blinded by the light of the sun which illuminated the bright blue sky. What was this? What was I seeing? The last thing I could remember was feeling that _thing_ approaching.

Now, I was here…

Was my death that fast? But, I had felt pain. I couldn't have died that fast.

" **You seem really confused…"**

I flinched at the voice, my fur standing on end. The soul that wasn't mine pulsed over my chest, as if warning me. My head snapped in every direction, trying to locate the source of the voice. My eyes landed on it, as it seemed to be standing there with amusement written on his face.

*Don't be deterred.

My soul was on his chest, fully corrupted by the darkness. It was nothing more than a repressor for emotions now. I was standing before myself, as what I had created started walking around me. " **It's a wonder how you're alive, really… We should still be one…"** Red's sword appeared in his hand, as the tip of the blade dragged across the drenched floor. " **You should have died when I erased the timelines… Yet, here you are."**

I felt so weak. This is what monsters felt in the presence of something with high LOVE, wasn't it? Trillions of timelines had fallen. Who knew if he had surpassed the maximum amount of LOVE. I felt so weak and small compared to this monstrosity. It felt like I couldn't even talk, as the words caught in my throat.

He gazed off into the distance, a grin pulling at the corner of its mouth. " **We always were cowards, weren't we?"** As his head turned my way, black wisps of darkness trailed behind him. " **Too afraid to finally stand up for ourselves, too afraid to show our true strength… That's what we were."**

 _That wasn't what I was afraid of._ "We weren't afraid to show strength…" My voice came out small and weak, but Player showed interest now that I was speaking. "We were afraid of asking for help. We were afraid to show _weakness."_

His head tilted to the side, red eyes growing wider. " **Ah, but that's what we led ourselves to believe. You and I both know we could have shown them all with a few flicks of a knife…"** He paused, grinning even wider. " **But, we weren't like that. We decided to do the opposite, and now we stand before ourselves."**

I knew he spoke the truth. So many times I just wanted to lash out in a blind rage against the world, and now, look what I had done? This had all happened because of hate. I was the only one to blame. I was the reason I had been brought into this world of pain.

Instead of pushing it farther, Player simply turned around, gazing off at the distant sun. " **Do you recognize this place?",** He asked. I hadn't noticed it at first, but it was very familiar. " **This is where we would go when the world was too much. This is where our imagination ran wild, and in peace."** He whirled around, hand outstretched with a dagger. " **But now? I offered my good side the means to peace. We could erase it all, and finally be at rest…"** The water began rippling in waves, making the atmosphere unsettling. " **But you chose to refuse."**

*Stay strong… please…

The battle was about to begin, wasn't it? The fate of the multiverse rested solely on my shoulders. Stress weighed down upon me, making this all the more worse. "I-I won't just let you get to the rest of the timelines without trying to fix this!" I yelled in defiance, my stuttering betraying me.

" **Ohoho!"** He began laughing, the sky beginning to distort into a shade of purple. " **But you CAN'T fix this. Don't you understand?"** His hand rose in the air, magic flaring to life. It channeled into the corrupt sky, as if revealing something.

In a wave, a rainbow of light shone out from the sky, pulsing with brilliance. Those weren't just any magical light. Every single one of the small dots of light was a soul, crying out in pain. _I had done this. I had let all of these people lose their lives._

There were so many out there. There were so many different traits and abilities. Unnatural colored souls resided in bunches. Human souls absorbed by monsters, and vice versa pulsed with power. All of the differences that could be defined where so vast. Was this the beauty of the multiverse? Was this what this world really had to offer?

 _Was this really what I had destroyed?_

" **Just look above you…"** The water under us reflected the light, making this all the more epic. Oh dear god why was I thinking about this looking cool when everything was on the line. Miniature bullet boards appeared in Player's hand, all ready to be used. " **If it looks like something you can stop, then just TRY and stop it!"**

The soul I had was forced out of my chest, being placed in a bullet board. There was no room to even move it… Something was drained from my soul as my HOPE appeared right under it.

1/1 HP

Balls of fire flared to life in a circle around the soul. Player outstretched his hands, clenching his fists. _Why couldn't I move?_ The flames began closing in ever so slowly as to prolong my panic. My soul began heating up as they nearly collided. I tried to summon magic to defend myself, but… Player's magic cut right through mine with no resistance.

Before the flames could touch, Player shook its head, waving his hand. The fire fizzled to ashes, not destroying my soul as it could have. " **No no… That'd be too easy…"** He spread out his arms, the bullet board expanding under me. The darkness it contained began blending into the water, but I was still confined to the space it inhabited. " **I mean, you're going to be the last one who will even slightly stand a chance…"** A true knife appeared in his hand. Player's arm swung down, pointing the tip of the weapon at my nose. " **Go ahead, amuse me for one last time."**

 **Song: Drawn to Life Final Boss Remix by GreenLizard307**

He swung with the dagger, the tip nearly grazing my head as I ducked. _All it would take is one wrong step and I am gone._ I tried to summon magic to my hands. The magic I was using felt so different from what I was used to. It was so foreign, yet so familiar… The problem was, the only thing I could access was fire.

Player was quick, giving me a kick to the chest. I leapt backwards before it could collide, sliding across the water. A Gaster Blaster spawned beside me, taking aim. I raised my hand, fire bursting from the inside of it. _It didn't even leave a scratch._

Eyes widening, I sidestepped out of the beam of hot light. My magic was nothing compared to his power… Red lightning appeared in its hands, ready to strike. He plunged his hand into the water, the liquid conducting it in all directions. Fire was simply a gas. I had no way to dodge this… unless…

"Star Blazing!" I yelled, hoping something would happen. It wasn't powerful, nor very bright, but a star popped out of the water, creating a platform. _This really was Asriel's soul… wasn't it?_ Why had he done that for me? Why had he replaced my corrupted soul with his…?

The electricity coursed through the water before disappearing at will. I was untouched, hovering above the water. Player seemed to be deep in thought, stroking his chin. " **These attacks are too bland…"** The souls above began shining brighter. " **What other magic users were in the timelines…?"** _Oh please no._ " **Oooh, you seem eager to find out."** It said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. " **How about we find out the power that these timelines held!"**

Various colored souls split from the ceiling, appearing at Player's side. I stood at the ready, as not paying attention could cost me and everyone else everything. " **Oh! But we can't have you causing trouble, can we?"** Toriel's scepter appeared in his hands, glowing with ferocity. " **Let's change that magic of yours, shall we?"**

Chains wrapped over my soul, inhibiting my ability to fight. I gagged as the magic was ripped from my grasp, as if the Player was choking my existence. Technically, it was… The one chance I had, had just been taken from me. I had to find a way to break this.

" **That's much better!"** Player exclaimed, letting a red and purple soul come to his side. " **Let's start with this one, shall we?"** He laughed, two Gaster Blaster looking weapons appearing next to him. Those definitely weren't your standard blaster. I began sweating, seeing that it had three places where it could fire, and not just one. " **You see, we weren't the only Players to appear in our worlds. You thought we were the exception?"**

The eyes on the blasters shifted to blue and orange. I really didn't want to know what that meant. " **There are not one, but** _ **two**_ **timelines where this one exists. This Player had so much potential… With a fusion of a human and a monster, unfathomable powers can be reached. But, now that no longer matters."** All three of the firing slots unleashed separate beams of energy. Both Blasters shot orange, blue, and white beams at the same time, letting them sweep across the water.

Steam wafted up from the water that was being touched by the searing hot beams. I ran through one, standing still at the next. Two white ones swept through in a V shape. I jumped through the center, only for another orange and blue beam to come my way. I was lucky enough to be already running when the orange beam hit me. When I saw the blue one, I froze up, not even breathing.

 _How much more powerful could these people get?_ I hadn't ever considered the possibility that others like me could be out there. It just didn't seem likely… Yet, I had been the one who had destroyed everything. I had been the one who failed everyone else… and this fight was a cold reminder that I was not innocent.

The soul he was using hovered backwards, joining the others that he had pulled from the ceiling. A pure red soul flew forward next, shining as it grew closer to the Player. " **This one was interesting. This Player successfully stopped a genocide run, and gained magic through the dead bodies of others…"** The Player snapped his fingers, a strange form of a weapon appearing behind him. _What kind of person uses pens as weapons?_

I barely noticed a thin barrage of objects flying my way. I fell backwards in surprise, the water splashing from under me. The pens soared over my head, missing by mere inches. From above, triangular objects filled the air in a line. They took a nose dive down, trying to strike me on my chest. I rolled to the side, one missing narrowly. Consecutive ones followed that one's lead, trying to hit me as I kept rolling at the last second. When the onslaught had finally ceased, I realized that I had been dodging paper airplanes…

" **If only that Player had been the one to face me… Maybe then there would be a chance of this world surviving."** He tinkered with the seemingly harmless weapons. " **Too bad that will never happen…"**

The red soul joined back to the group, as a monster soul replaced it. This was the first time he wasn't going to use a Player soul… Thank god… " **This monster was lost to the void, only to be revived by a glitched timeline…"** Seven hands appeared over his head, shining all different soul colors. " **Too bad all of his effort was for nothing."**

The orange skeletal hand clenched its fingers around something unseen. It swung in my direction, orange orbs flying in my direction. They stopped in place, hovering as if waiting to do something. Without even waiting to see what they did, I dove out of the circle that had surrounded me. I looked back, orange explosions filling the air.

Light blue strings threatened to tangle me up, zooming in my direction. I had played with these for far too long to fall for them. They were coming from the light blue hand… The first string that reached me was grabbed in my fist. I pulled it downward, the hand crashing to the ground.

The hands formed in a circle, charging a blast of energy. The Player threw his hand forward, the energy within reacting to the movement. A pure beam of dark magic rushed my way at alarming speeds. However, being that it wasn't that large, I was able to get out of the way on time.

 _Why wasn't it just unleashing its full power?_ The soul returned as normal, being replaced by an odd one. This soul was not one, but many different colors. Actually, it looked like a rainbow soul. Which timeline would have been able to do this? " **Ah, these ones were interesting."** I could feel powerful magic filling the air. It wasn't as strong as the Player's raw magic, but it felt like it could harm if it wanted to. " **Our timeline wasn't the only one to save Asriel…"**

I flinched at the harsh reminder that he was… gone. These souls, these innocent people, all of this was what I was fighting for. This was not only a reminder of what had been lost, but a reminder of what _could_ be lost. If I fell, the people in the main timeline wouldn't hardly stand a chance… _I felt so useless._

" **This Asriel was more creative than your average one."** He seemed to be observing the soul, quite impressed as what the predecessor had accomplished. " **The determination they had shown was so great, that they all overcame any obstacle."** Gloves appeared over his hands, stars engraved in the magical weapon.

He leapt forward, aiming a magical punch right at my stomach. I jumped backwards, alert for consecutive hits. Just as predicted, Player struck again. This time, it was at the side of my head. I grabbed it in my hand, nearly missing the other one coming my way. We stood at a deadlock, pushing against each other with defiance.

0.9/1 HP

 _Even with blocking… it still did damage?_ I pushed off, skidding across the water filled floor. The gloves disappeared from his hands, only for him to grin as more magic entered the arena. A lightning charged star crashed down next to me, electrifying the water. Seeing no other way to get out of the strike, I did something incredibly stupid.

I grabbed the soul from my chest, tossing it high into the air. With a jolting snap of something like elastic, I flung after it, soaring through the air. I was simply lucky that worked. Of course, I hadn't accounted for the landing.

0.4/1 HP

Miniature charged stars soared in my direction, spinning at high speeds. Sucking up the pain from the fall, I did a flip between two of them, one crossing by my stomach, another by my back. It felt like I was pulling a matrix move. This was nearly all luck, as I was not experienced in battle without magic. I ducked under another, sliding through the water. One passed right across the water, aiming for my now vulnerable form. With haste, I pushed myself off the ground, just barely making it over.

I was getting worn out… How much more of these did he have? My body was screaming at me to stop as I panted heavily. I had to keep going. There was no option to sleep, because if I did… no one would ever wake up.

Another singular red soul rose from the bunch. Player expanded his fingers outward, many smaller red souls popping out from behind the main soul. " **Now this Chara was clever… These are the souls of many Frisks, taken because of the Player's actions. This Chara decided to use them as weaponry…"**

A soul began shuddering, before cracking into pieces. A bright red blast shot out in four directions, none of them getting close to hitting me. _That was definitely a demonstration shot._ Pushing through the pain and weariness, I ran through the barrage of beams bursting across the battlefield. They rained from the sky in rays, trying to obscure my vision for a blow. Magic flared to life as the souls stopped, warning me of an upcoming attack.

The Player leapt above me, wings outstretched. A knife in his hand spawned, cutting at unfathomable speeds. The slashes narrowly missed me as I threw myself to the side, struggling to push myself to my feet. I kept telling myself one thing when my body complained under pressure. _You have to._

The souls all shone together before speeding off back towards the massive group of souls up above. There had to be over trillions, no… infinity wouldn't even describe what was up there. I breathed a sigh of relief, seeing that the different timeline onslaughts were gone. _At least, that's what I thought._

" **It's a surprise you are still standing…"** Player murmured, shutting his eyes. " **Well, it's been fun, but I think it's time for us to say goodbye."**

His eyes snapped open, red light shining solidly from both. Two Gaster Blasters appeared at its side, charging their blasts. Bones cut through the water, tearing in my direction, Spears launched in a barrage behind him, threatening to spear me at any moment. White souls appeared in the air along with two red ones, wrapped in red strings. Asgore's trident appeared above his head, lightning bolts sitting idly at its sides. Flames ignited in the air, poising for an attack.

There was no way I could dodge this. I was so tired… I couldn't keep this up for much longer. Despite how much I tried to stay moving, I had my limits. Without the perks of a fused human and monster soul, energy was so hard to gain. Player grabbed a true knife out of the air, infusing it with his determination. " **DIE."**

With a yell of pain, I pushed myself to my limits. Blasters fired, making an X in the air. I threw my body backwards, falling over into the shallow water. I tried to get up, only for my arms to give out from under me. Blue attacks rushed across the field, searing across my body as I was trembling in fear.

 _It wasn't over._

Asgore's trident stabbed through my chest, leaving three dust giving holes before disappearing. Spears cut through my wrists, pinning them to the ground. _Everything hurt._ I cried out in pain, trying to get up. Lightning coursed through my body, giving a horrible shock to my senses. Bones pierced through my legs, sending dust flying into the air. Flames burned across my skin. As if it wasn't all enough, as if the pain wasn't unbearable enough…

Player stood over me, holding the True Knife. His grin split into a wide red menacing smile. With killing intention in the hit, the blade cut across my chest.

0/1 HP

I could not think. I couldn't breathe. I couldn't even fathom what I was feeling. What even… was feeling? As my body split into millions of pieces, the last thing I saw was the Player reaching out for my soul, preparing to claim it as his own. _This is what I deserved for my actions._

Dust came to rest, floating on the water.

* * *

 _I couldn't win this time._ Fighting against something that powerful was nearly impossible… It had drained my hope, taken away my magic… and was now probably going onto other timelines. And, this was all because of me. This was all because I fell into the darkness that power was. I hadn't learned from my time as a Player…

The bittersweet feeling of death greeted me once more. I had been here before. If only I had stayed, and hadn't decided to go back… _It wasn't even my choice._ Why did I have to be so stupid, that every single timeline suffered? Why did I have to be the one to carry this burden. Other Players that were spoken of would have standed much more of a chance. _I was weak. I was useless. I was a failure._

I looked up from my arms that I had shielded my face in. Once more in the void, this place was familiar. The regular patch of grass was still here, with no one standing upon it now. There was no Gaster here… It seemed that he hadn't even been able to escape the erasure. There was one thing that had stayed.

 _Quit._

That was the only option there. There was no Resetting, no Continuing, no Refusing. All that was there was the eternal darkness that would greet me. Soon, the Quit option would even cease to exist, as my soul was in the process of being absorbed. It would be impossible soon. The sad thing was, it wasn't my soul being absorbed. _I had failed Asriel's last wish, hadn't I?_

That was all that I was good at, failing. My life was a series of failures, each worse than the last. Now, I had paid the ultimate price, everyone had… What was the use of keeping hope if something like it doesn't exist in this world? I could only imagine all of the lives cut short, taken by the flick of a knife.

 _And I had done it all._

Tears were falling from my eyes freely. The drops of water did no good for anything. They couldn't bring back what was lost, no matter how much you tried. It was all _hopeless._ I curled up into a ball, as if trying to protect myself from the pain.

Something, no… someone stopped me. Someone placed their hand on my shoulder, standing right beside me. I flinched at the touch, ceasing all noise. I slowly turned my head around, afraid to face who was there.

Asriel was standing right beside me, with a wavering smile on his face. It was still reassuring as he lowered himself to eye level with me. Before I could react, he threw himself at me, embracing me just like he always had. _And I'd never understand why._

I tried with every ounce of me to hold the tears back, but I failed. I found myself returning the hug, whimpering in confusion. Why was he so nice? Why was he so… forgiving? " _I-I'm so s-sorry…"_ My voice seemed so broken, as if it was never used before. " _I'm so… so sorry…" Saying I was sorry wouldn't change anything._

Yet, he didn't acknowledge that. He only smiled, tightening his grip around me. "What are you sorry for?" _How was he so calm?_ "You did all you could."

A choked laugh came from my throat, "And I couldn't stop what I caused… I-I'm too weak…"

"You doubt yourself too much." He stated, opening his eyes. They still remained calm, tears not even beginning to show themselves. "You just don't have any faith in yourself."

I lowered my head in shame, trying to shield myself from his gaze. "Faith didn't get me anywhere. That's why I'm here in the first place. I-I tried to believe Chara's decision about me was correct… but…" My fist clenched into a ball. "This is where we are… _dead."_

"But it doesn't have to be that way!" Asriel interjected, standing up with firmness. "You can still get up and fight back. Why are you giving up now?"

I knew the truth to that. I had the determination to carry on. But, one thing made it falter. "I… I'm scared…" _It hurt._ Asriel nodded his head in understanding, listening intently. "Dying… hurts too much… Everything out there is so lonely that it's so hard t-to even think about hope… It's only despair…"

"We'll be lost forever if you stop trying…" _You HAVE to keep going…_ "You're the only one strong enough to defeat it now… and it still hasn't absorbed our soul yet…"

"You don't understand!" I jolted up as well, now standing above him in height. "It isn't that easy. I can't beat something with that kind of power! Determination can't defeat something like that!" Asriel didn't even flinch, no matter how intimidating I tried to be. "I'm too useless…"

He reached forward, taking my hand in his. "You're forgetting something." Gold light began tingling in between our palms. "Determination may not be enough, but hope will get you through." Asriel's eyes began shining golden. "You don't have to fight alone."

I was unable to know, but both of mine began shining a bright red. What was he trying to do? What did he mean? "What are you talking about? You gave up your soul for me… How would you be able to fight with me?"

Asriel gave a small laugh, simply smiling as light enveloped the area. "You'll see…" The last words I heard before being jolted back to reality were, "We'll face the darkness… together…"

* * *

The Player walked forward, casually flicking the knife he held back and forth. The final soul he had to claim rested right above floating dust. " **Foolish…"** He spoke, gazing at the soul. " **You should have accepted my offer when you had the chance…"**

Strings lashed out at the exposed soul, threatening to entangle it in their binds. However, as they neared the inverted heart, something strange happened. The strings ignited in colorful flames, lighting the whole strand on fire. Interested, the player repeated the same process, once more, the same effect took place.

" **Strange…"** He retracted the strings, instead stretching out his hand. " **No matter, I can take the hits."** As its hand snatched at the soul, it dodged to the left on its own. In confusion, the Player tried the same thing, only for the soul to return to its original position. Gritting his teeth, the Player demanded, " **All right you… stop moving!"**

As if taunting him, the soul flew higher into the air. The Player's eyes widened as dust from the water began slowly floating upward into the air. " **Oh… I see."** He stepped backwards, magic of many varieties springing up around himself. " **Trying to play the determination card? Well, that doesn't matter…"**

More dust began collecting, forming in the shape of the monster he had been fighting mere minutes ago. Toriel's scepter came to the Player's hand, chains hanging limp from it. " **It's not like it's going to help you!"**

 **Song: Undertale [dj-Jo Remix] by dj-Jo Zenpaku**

Eight white slashes cut through the air. The Player teleported out of the way, reappearing a few feet away. The chains burst into shards, smoke filling the air. "Not happening." A voice from the smoke spoke. A red cloak dragged across the water as we walked forward, an unknown force surging through our veins.

1/1 HP

The Player could see a red and gold light shining through the smoke, getting brighter. Suddenly, a thin beam of gold fire shot out, dragging across the water, turning any it touched into steam. "Maybe in another life, it wouldn't have had to be this way… for you at least."

2/2 HP

" **Getting cocky? Are we?"** He taunted, hovering slightly above the water. " **You do realize that you don't stand a chance. You** _ **are**_ **me."** He spread its arms out wide, code appearing in front of him. " **I can already tamper with your coding. I** _ **know**_ **you."**

"Oh… but that's where you're wrong…" We stepped out from the smoke, showing our true form. My horns had reached their full length, facing the sides more so than the back. The glowing lights the player had seen were our eyes, shining a solid gold and red. "I'm not you…" The red patches of fur, along with our horns began glowing. "I am not Asriel, nor am I Bennett." Our claws grew longer, sharpening at the end. "I am the perfect fusion between the two… We are no longer individuals for this fight…"

4/4 HP

Our teeth sharpened. "We will fight together, and you won't stop us."

16/16 HP

Finally, the white soul Asriel had sacrificed for me appeared on our chest. "So come at us with all you've got! We're ready!"

256/256 HP

" **Haha…"** A true knife came into his hand, a black flame bursting to life over it, " **AS YOU WISH!"**

65536/65536 HP

*You ready for this?

The text box that was unmistakingly Asriel asked. His hope still flowed through my soul, increasing our maximum HOPE. Honestly, how much did this kid have?

500000/500000 HP

'Ready as I'll ever be…' I thought back to him, shutting my eyes. My lost determination began flowing through us, enhancing our magic abilities.

999999/999999 HP

The Player charged forward, letting out a maniacal laugh. He jumped into the air, slashing downward upon me with the knife in hand. Our eyes snapped open, as we raised our hand into the air. A chaos sabre came to life, enveloped by a golden hue.

With the clash of our weapons, we both stared each other down, intent to kill emanating through the battlefield. A star came crashing down at the Player's back, trying to blast through it. Player teleported away, floating in the air with his wings. " **Hm… you've gotten faster… Too bad you aren't fast enough for HOPE reduction!"** A window popped up in front of him with files engraved into them.

With a flick of his hand, he tried to lower our hope through coding.

*But we refuse to lose hope…

Asriel raised our hand into the air, lightning tingling from our fingertips. "Try reducing this!" From the sky, bolts of lightning tried to electrify the code box that was in front of the Player. Destroying it would kill us all, and that would be a suicide mission for everyone… including all of the souls. The lightning shocked the window, forcefully making the Player unable to use it at risk of a deadly shock.

Player gritted his teeth, reaching strings up at the ceiling. Once more, a red soul had come down with it. A strange blaster that reminded me of an earbud came to existence, charging up a blast. _These other universes just got stranger and stranger._

We dodged to the left in a gold and red blur, skidding across the water. The beam narrowly missed, dissipating along with the weapon itself. The Player yelled, charging lightning in his hand. The strikes electrified the water once more.

Our eyes began flashing in a rainbow succession as we once more combined our hope and determination. Wings came to life in a rainbow mist behind us, carrying us into the air. It did the same, with dark demon wings sprouting from its back. Two Chaos Sabres appeared in our hands, as the Player summoned Asgore's Trident.

Taking flight, we sped off right at each other. The clash of weaponry was heard as I blocked in an X shape. A shockwave of red and white pulsed outward as we were both met with equal resistance. Lighting sparked in the sky, crashing down upon the Player. He was quick to get out of the way, returning the blow with his own lightning.

We didn't see it coming as it crashed into us, forcing us to fall to the now non electrified ground.

743245/999999 HP

*Damage is still a thing… Don't get cocky.

I attempted to push myself to my feet, Asriel supporting me all the way. The tingling sensation of magic came from behind me. Asriel was quick to react, moving our arm to block. A sword appeared, stopping the assault of the Player, inches before the knife would have cut through my back.

Our eyes returned to their normal color, the wings disappearing. We spun around, throwing the Player off of us. A small slash was left in the air before fading away into nothing as we stared each other down. " **What you're doing is pointless."** He rose its hand into the air, before slamming it downward. " **You know you can't win… I am a god… More powerful than one even…"**

"Keep on telling yourself that…" We muttered, our voices talking over each other. The water in the area began bubbling, sinking lower. _It was changing the arena._ A large blistering stone flew up into the air from under our feet, taking us into the sky. _Were we floating?_

Magma began replacing the water, slowly moving upward. _Falling into there would mean immediate death._ Luckily, Asriel had given us the perk of his hyperdeath wings. The Player rushed forward with a bone club in his hand, whacking at our head. We quickly ducked in reaction, only to realize a mistake. Bones sprouted from the ground under us, trying to cut through our body.

632456/999999 HP

The wounds quickly healed when the bones dissipated as Asriel ran green magic over them. We had to start landing hits, or this wouldn't end well for anyone. We were now floating in the air on some sort of rock, suspended over a pool of magma. Any slipups and you'd be off the edge in a second. It seemed like the Player had changed the battlefield for a fighting edge.

A Gaster Blaster charged behind me, alerting me of its presence. Asriel reacted first, sending lightning spiraling into the weapon. It shattered into millions of bone shards, spraying out in all directions. Luckily, they were too small to do any significant damage. From behind, we heard a yell of rage. Our eyes flashed a rainbow of colors as a chaos sabre came to life, floating in the air.

Asriel and I blocked the incoming blow of the True Knife together, holding the Player's assault off. A frying pan came to life in Player's right hand as he began trying to bash my head in. Asriel was quick on the move, sending a star crashing from the side. The Player backflipped, skidding a few feet away.

The giant floating rock began tilting slowly towards his direction. He didn't mind, pulling out a revolver. Bullet after bullet fired, forcing us to leap out of the way. Determination and hope once again returned to our eyes, the thin line of golden fire striking for just a moment, as we felt something off… One look at our hand told us just what we were feeling… We were melting from the determination.

Worry came from Asriel's soul as we spotted just how things could go wrong. I chose to ignore it, focusing on the one goal we had. I threw my hands up into the air, taking the battlefield arrangement into my own hands. Eight rainbow pillars rose to our level, changing the battle drastically. Gaster Blasters swarmed around the rock, all firing at once.

With lightning fast reactions, we leapt to the pillars, the rock taking the blast instead. It blew into shards, sinking into the magma below. Player and I locked eyes on opposite pillars, summoning fireballs into our hands respectively. Meteor-like flames launched in all directions as we leapt from pillar to pillar, trying to land a hit on the other.

 _This wasn't working._

*I have an idea… just don't freak out…

The text box spoke in my head. I listened to Asriel, allowing him to take control over our shared body. As soon as he gained control, he leapt into action. He leapt off the pillar, deciding to take a different route of action. As much as I panicked from incoming magma, I had to trust him. Our claws cut through one of the pillars, holding us into place on the side of it.

The Player spotted us from above, giggling. " **Wow, you're getting really desperate…"** Wings sprouted from his back as it jumped from the pillar. He hovered in the center of the pillars, preparing magical attacks. " **Eventually you'll slip up… and fail everyone just as always."**

He seemed to flicker in all directions, summoning a lightning charged chaos sabre from another soul. Shooting forward, the Player slashed at the pillar we were situated on, destroying it into a cloud of dust. Asriel was faster, leaping to another, staring him down. The Player lashed out again, whips of fire swinging around the circle of pillars.

We latched onto another as the whip smashed it into pieces. Our right hand ignited in flame as a chaos sabre appeared in our left. In a flash of white and gold, we had accomplished something we had yet to do.

 **-0**

Even as we cut across his body with the sabre, it did no damage. What did we expect? There could be an infinite amount of souls that he had obtained from all of the timelines, and all it took was seven to have godlike power… As we landed on the opposite pillar, the Player giggled from behind. " **Hee… when will you learn that you don't stand a chance?"**

The battlefield began warping once more at the Player's demand. We fell from the disappearing pillar, landing on a purple flooring. I barely had time to recognize where we were before the assault began again. Two large doors blocked the exist of this small room that was the first true fight for any player.

Asriel felt the Player approaching from behind, jumping into action. A star spun in place, blocking a strike of a Sentinel beam. This was unmistakably where Toriel was fought. Fire swept down the hallway in shockwaves of blue and orange. We recognized the colorful attacks, moving through them effortlessly.

The sound of feet on stone alerted us to the Player's presence. This room was so small, that close range combat would be the only option. In a flash, our sabre was in hand, slashing upward at the approaching opponent. We were met with a seemingly unstoppable force. Red's sword had locked with ours, pinning us to the door.

We resisted while the Player pushed the edges of the blades closer to our necks. He was much stronger than us, but we wouldn't give up easily. In a flash of red and gold, we disappeared, the Player's momentum making him crash into the door. We reappeared right behind him, slashing at the back of his neck with a chaos sabre.

 **-0**

*That may not seem like it did anything, but something's changing… I can feel it…

*Keep it up

The world slipped from view once more, as the Player disappeared. Snow crunched under our feet, as our vision began reorienting. This place was all too recognizable… At the edge of Snowdin, this was where you would face the skeleton who always believed in you… _I always had a feeling he had more power than he let on._

Bones ripped through the ground, pointing at an angle in my direction. I leapt backwards, Asriel sending a star crashing into the incoming array. Our shared body shivered, feeling our essence begin deforming slowly. Gaster Blasters spawned in the air, along with a select few of the tripod looking ones.

'I guess we just gotta pull ourselves together… right Azzy?' I asked, internally smiling at the unnecessary pun.

*...NOW IS NOT THE TIME!

The beams fired once more. Stray orange and blue beams swept across the battlefield due to the stranger blasters giving them off. We made a charge through the fray, trying to find a safe place to be. A beam passed right in front of us as we skidded to a halt, not wanting anything to do with that. A blue beam came across us, searing across our body as we fell backwards through it from trying to stop ourselves.

403295/999999 HP

Gaster Blasters surrounded us, eyes shining in many different colors. How many souls up there were this different? Asriel seized control, bringing a rainbow wing out from the side. It blocked over us, shielding against the beams of light.

As soon as it stopped, the Player was on us again. This was getting relentless. With a flick of our wrist, a massive star appeared in our hands. We hurled it at the Player, the body of light threatening to crash into him. He seemed to be expecting this, grinning madly. The star exploded upon the Player, breaking into pieces.

 **-0**

Snow flew into the air, clouding him from our view. In that time we had lost sight of the Player, he had gained an advantage for the next attack. We barely had any time before he appeared at our side with a bone club in hand. It connected with its target, knocking us _far_ to the side.

With a splash, and a chilling cold, we had been knocked into the river. Panic and fear filled our mind as the rushing waters overtook us. It had been such a long time since I had been forced to swim, and being a pyrotechnic monster wasn't helping anything. If we didn't get out, we'd drown.

No ice cubes were floating down the river to grab onto. In this seemingly simulated world, the Ice Wolf wouldn't be there to fuel the Core… _Oh dear god the Core…_ If we didn't get out, we would be sentenced to a fate worse than death. I began clawing rapidly at the water in panic, trying to find anything to grab hold of.

Yet, once more, that reassuring voice appeared in my hand.

*Don't panic… I got this.

Control slipped from my body as our demeanor turned completely relaxed. How he ever relaxed in situations like this, I'd never know. Gold light enveloped us as Asriel used his teleporting capabilities. In an instant, we had reappeared on land, our fur weighing us down quite a bit… _Damn you water…_

Luckily, it didn't seem like we'd freeze anymore, as we were no longer in the Snowdin region. Actually, where he had teleported us seemed too convenient. We were on a bride in Waterfall… The same exact one where Undyne the Undying was fought… It looked so unfamiliar, mainly due to the light of the souls above illuminating it. " **Yeeeaah it was obvious you wouldn't fall for that one…"** The player scoffed, standing on the opposite end. " **But wait… that's what you did… You fell into a river to be exact."**

I snarled, still dripping water off of my fur. This would be a nightmare to get out… I needed to stop thinking about the water, and worry more about not dying. Being that we were on a thin bridge, that would be quite difficult. Our soul shifted green as the Player readied spears at all sides.

Using Asriel's strategy from before, we summoned four stars around us to block from all sides. It… didn't work. As soon as the first broke through the barrier, we knew we were in trouble. Asriel barely had time to react to it, as he whacked it away with a chaos sabre. However, it had grazed us, taking out a bit of HOPE.

398578/999999 HP

Two Chaos Sabres appeared in our hands, ready to bat them away when needed. One came from the front as another one was approaching on the back. We spun the swords in our hands, slicing the spears in half at the same time. However, that was not going to be the last… I could never properly count how many were flying towards us in that moment, but we knew that this was going to be hell.

 _Hopefully no hitting Undyne was enough to get me through this…_

The spears appeared in a flash, calling our attention to each one. _Right, left, up, down, down, up, left, right, up, down, LEFT!_ A backwards spear was one that caught me off guard. It spun around to the other side of us, nearly impaling us right through our side. A spark of lightning fizzled into the air, crashing down upon it just before it could reach us. It seemed to stop in place, slowly crumbling to ash.

Player rushed forward, spear in hand. We met the danger head on, clashing with our own weapon. Sparks flew through the air as magic met magic. Both of us reared back our weapons, striking at each other from a different angle. Once more, our weapons locked. The Player took his resistance off of the spear, teleporting behind me.

We spun around, slashing horizontally across his face. He was faster, grabbing the sword by its edges. Blood dripped from its hands as the blade cut deeper, but no reaction was given. The Player didn't even flinch, grinning madly as he turned the sword against me. Tightening his grip on the sword, he used it to knock me off the edge of the bridge.

With a yelp, we lost our footing on the bridge. There was no chance to grab on as we began plummeting into the abyss below. Asriel tried to summon the wings, but no luck came. Instead, we fell onto the cold hard floor of something else. Heat enveloped our senses as all the water on us evaporated in an instant. Where the hell was this heat coming from?

" **Ah, the CORE. If this place didn't exist, the Underground would have remained dark."** _He was just toying with me now._ A metallic arm cannon formed over Player's hand, charging a pink beam of light. We rolled out of the way, the beam missing by inches. Two bombs appeared in the air, falling into the Player's palms. Fuses ignited, as he cocked his head to the side. " **I should have used this place first, as it'd have made an EXPLOSIVE entrance!"**

The stage that Mettaton was fought on in any run began raising into the air. We momentarily lost our balance, trying to reorient our balance. Bombs flew into the air, exploding in the air. X explosions resonated across the battlefield, searing across the floor. The Player summoned a robotic blade into its hand, slicing at my neck with the tip of it.

I ducked, sweeping with my leg. The Player jumped over it, summoning an icy scythe to his hands. Ice spread across the floor, stopping the stage's ascent. Asriel took control, slamming our foot onto the ground. Fire met the ice head on, melting it in a massive wave.

Glaring at each other, we both spawned weapons into our hands. Player ran forward with a True Knife, leaping into the air. We met him head on with a Chaos Sabre, jumping up for collision. A shock wave from the powerful clash resonated through the area, changing the arena once more.

Our feet touched the ground, hitting solid marble. The orange and yellow tiled floor reflected our images as we stood across from each other, eyes flaring in equal rage. Our soul turned blue, weighing us down. Bones cut through the floor in a giant wall. We leapt over, hearing the charge of a Gaster Blaster beam.

We sidestepped, the light flashing by. Our gravity changed, forcing us into the wall. Our feet slammed onto the wall as bones erupted from the sides. We leapt into the air, the bones narrowly missing. Our soul flung to the other wall, taking us with it. Blasters fired across the wall, forcing us to jump once more. This was not one of the luckiest moments…

329057/999999 HP

 _We still hadn't done any damage…_

*Keep holding on… We can't quit now!

Bones crashed through the window, shattering the glass. Two spinning stars appeared at our sides, straining to deflect the bones. The melting was getting worse, becoming more noticeable. 'Asriel… this isn't working…' I thought in worry, seeing the battlefield change once more. 'He has infinite power… How are we supposed to win?'

*...

*Hold out a bit longer… I think I know what to do…

The barrier replaced the image of the Judgement Hall. The light within the barrier seemed to echo itself, reflecting across the room. However, the souls above us did not allow the light to stay clear. No… the rainbow of colors reflected off the barrier, giving a familiar atmosphere that Asriel and I were familiar with.

Colors flashed across the barrier in all directions, as if enveloping the scene with brilliance. " **You see… you'll never win this fight…"** Fallen Sentinels appeared in the air, charging blasts of fire. " **The longer you resist, the more you are delaying the inevitable."**

We didn't answer, stars flying out from behind our backs. The blasts radiated outward, sweeping across the barrier. Wings appeared in a haze behind us, blocking the fire as if they were really solid. The stars that we summoned to our aid crashed into the Sentinels, cracking the orbs in the centers.

Yellow souls swarmed from the sky, pointing the tips of the hearts at us. Bullets rained from the sky, trying to pierce through our body, We bobbed and weaved, running in any direction that seemed safer. There seemed to be no luck as the rain of bullets continued.

Purple souls were next, strings lashing out from their cores. They whipped lower down, threatening to strangle us with the karmic retribution they offered. Red strings joined them from the Player's fingertips, further obstructing any options to dodge. Fire danced on our fingers, igniting the threads with golden flames.

A laugh echoed behind us as magic flared to life. On instinct, we turned around with a sword, hitting at whatever was there. Unintentionally, we had just struck something horrible. A bomb flashed as a signification of detonation. The explosion came out so fast, that there would have been no time to even think about dodging.

103945/999999

" **Just a few more hits… and it'll all be over."** Bullet boards appeared in his hands like a deck of cards. " **Let's finish this in a fitting way… shall we?"**

Player threw one like a disc, the board expanding in midair. With a ping, our soul became more distinct, shining brightly as we were placed on the bullet board. Four options appeared in front of us, as the Player allowed us to make the first move. Instinctively, my hand slammed towards the FIGHT button.

It stopped short, but not from my actions. Asriel had stopped my choice, holding us back. 'Asriel?' I uneasily questioned, watching as my hand moved to the ACT option. 'Asriel, he won't listen to reason… ACTing won't work…'

*That's not what I'm doing. Just… trust me.

I gave up my resistance, letting him hit the button. It reacted in response, flashing to a bright yellow, disappearing. A small voice came out from our mouth, with no doubt, coming from Asriel. Our hands clenched as he spoke. "Someone… please, help."

A deafening silence followed. The Player seemed to stare at us blankly, emotionlessly. A wide grin split across his face, throwing his head back in laughter. " **Aha… HAHA! You can't be serious!"** Seven souls of different colors appeared around the Player, summoning their respective weapons. " **Are you that desperate… that PATHETIC? Hee hee…"**

" **No one is coming… It's only me… It's only YOU."** Player snatched a floating knife out of the air, pointing it in a battle stance. " **Stop this pathetic resistance, and I'll make your death quick."**

In a red blur, the Player was upon us, cutting through the air. We jolted out of the way, the blade narrowly missing our chest. There was no time to relax, as the Player slashed upward from his position, grinning as we struggled to dodge the red blur that was the Player's rapid succession of stabbing. With a cry of pain, the upward assault connected, forming a gash in our chest.

51/999999 HP

Dust seeped through the wound, as our HOPE grew dangerously low. Asriel gasped in surprise from our soul as the Player grabbed our arm, slamming an orange gloved fist at our face. This was it, wasn't it? Our body was already so deformed that fighting any longer would ensure death...

A loud crack echoed through the air.

The Player's fist had met with a green wall of magic. He pulled his hands back, not minding the pulsing pain that should have given off. A crack had formed in the green barrier that protected us, but it hadn't vanished immediately as normal forms of defense normally would against this type of power.

But, what made his expression shift the most was not the protecting barrier that blocked away. Rather, it was what had created it that sparked our shocked expressions. Behind the barrier rested a phenomenon that could not be explained.

A white soul had come to our aid, performing magic to save us.

Taking two steps backwards, a look of horror appeared on the Player's face. He was just as confused as I was, trying to explain how a soul had escaped his grasp. " **What?"** The barrier between us disappeared, the soul pulsing defiantly. The Player shook his head, strings whipping out from his fingertips. " **No matter… I'll just-"** A flash of blue came from the side, a spear cutting through the strings with ease.

The Player's eyes darted back and forth, a faint feeling of fear resonating within its main soul. It further increased as a green outline of a monster began forming around the soul. The body armor was first, seemingly illustrating itself as if it were nothing more than a sketch. Fists drew themselves, holding a glowing spear. A head and legs began coming into existence, Hair sprouted out of the top of the monster's head, flowing in the wind majestically. "U-Undyne?"

The fish warrior turned around, a toothy grin spreading across her face. "What? Didja think I'd let this punk keep me down for long?" Undyne extended a welcoming hand, "Come on, since when did you stay down either?"

Dark wisps began emanating off the Player in anger. " **Do you think this does anything?"** He snarled, cocking his head to the side. " **I am the GOD of all universes. Do you really believe that a petty monster soul will save you?"**

Undyne shook her head, her right eye shining with light. "I can't defeat you. I already faced that fact." She gazed upward, seeing every soul that had been confined by the Player. "Not alone, at least…" Closing her eyes, she muttered, "Everyone's souls are pounding as one, seeking only one thing, defeating you." Her hand was still outstretched to me, as if begging me to take it. "Come on, punk. You can't give up now."

"I…" I gulped, trying to muster up all the strength I had left. "I'll try…" As if the words were magic, determination channeled back around my body, pulling it back into a solid looking shape.

The warrior gave a confident smile, disappearing back into her soul. But, she wasn't done yet, as spears formed at the soul's side. The Player let out a low growl, summoning ten Gaster Blasters into the air. " **You won't win this, no matter how hard you try!"**

Beams of searing hot light flashed across the bullet board, taking aim at our souls. With a ping, Undyne's took a green shade. A massive green barrier once more formed in front of us, protecting us from the blasts. Expecting this, the Player snapped his fingers, teleporting right behind me. The clash of weaponry echoed through the room once more, as a knife and sword clashed.

He went for another down slash, changing his weapon for Red's sword. Asriel went to work, instantly blocking downward before I even had time to register it. Sparks flew through the air at the collision, drifting away in the simulated barrier room. A spear whizzed by my ear, crashing into a sentinel that I hadn't even seen beforehand. It seems that the Player's element of surprise was wearing off.

Yellow souls came into the air, aiming at the two of us. The Player once more snapped, signaling for them to fire. However, much to his shock, they simply jittered, as if out of ammo. _They were refusing to fire._

In the Player's distraction, yet another thing took place. A light in the shape of a meteor crashed down upon us, separating the Player and I from each other. Another soul stood in between us, eye flashing blue. "Wow, it's funny how you consider yourself a god, yet you haven't been able to kill him yet..." Sans stood between us, ready to unleash his magical abilities. "I mean, come on, you thought you'd get away with this?"

More souls on the ceiling began slowly detaching from their positions, drifting towards us. The Player's breathing began gaining speed. " **No… NO!"** A flaming sword appeared in his hand. Player's magic was slowly decreasing in strength, as more souls started drifting away. " **I WON'T LET YOU!"**

Making a forward dash, the Player aimed the tip of the sword at my chest. It was quickly cut off by a spinning bone in mid-air, coming from another skeleton. Papyrus blocked the blow, his red scarf blowing from the air disrupted by the bone. "I BELIEVED EVERYONE COULD CHANGE, AND I WAS RIGHT!" The skeleton glanced backwards, eyeing me with confidence. "YOU PROVED THAT TO ME. IN THE END, YOU ARE TRYING TO MAKE UP FOR WHAT YOU DID…"

" **That doesn't change that we did this!"** Flames appeared in his hands. " **You can never take away what we destroyed!"**

The fire morphed into heatwaves, sweeping towards the many souls that were appearing around me. Two souls hovered next to each other, morphing into the two boss monsters, one of which was my mother for a short while. "But we will learn forgiveness!" Toriel spoke, giving Asriel and I a painful reflection that she was talking about herself and Asgore as well. "We cannot continue forward, holding onto anger!"

Asgore's trident stood at the ready, now in its rightful hands. "There will be consequences for our actions, but we can only work for a better future!"

Mettaton and Alphys were last. The former probably decided to play it fashionably late, as the latter would normally be the most nervous. "Give us one last performance, darling. We are all counting on you now." He exclaimed with a wink.

Alphys twiddled her thumbs. She seemed a bit more confident in herself, but she was still shaky. It was sad, knowing that I had cut their improvement short. "I-I don't r-really have anything else I can s-say that no one else hasn't… but… I know y-you can win this!"

The white souls returned back to their pure soul form, circling around Asriel and I, lending us their support. The Player stood across from us, watching as the souls sped across the sky, millions of souls coming out of his power. But, there were two souls that were still frozen in place. Enraptured in the Player's strings, were two red souls, screaming for help.

*There are still more that need to be saved...

But, we all knew that it was a bluff. The Player's power was being stripped away, soul by soul. The Player was breathing heavily now, its power beginning to slowly vanish. " **No matter what you do… You can't hide from who you really are…"** Two true knives appeared in its hands, glowing with intensity. " **I will always be part of you."** Yelling, the Player charged us, both knives trailing red lines behind them. " **YOU WON'T GO BACK ON WHAT WE WORKED FOR!"**

Our eyes began glowing a rainbow of colors as the souls formed an arc around our head. Chaos Sabres appeared in our hands for one final clash. "I know…" I muttered, placing one foot backwards. "That isn't the point." I broke into a sprint, a gold glow following slowly behind me.

A blinding flash struck between the two of us. Magic hit magic as swords and knives locked. We stood head to head, both of us sweating as we resisted against the other. The Player struck from the side, being quickly blocked by us again. But, that was what he wanted. The second knife used the distraction to cut through my stomach with a reverse grip, the Player laughing all the while.

999998/999999 HP

I hadn't even been able to feel that at all. It nearly felt like a pebble hitting me at a low speed. Player stared at me in horror, as my HOPE barely even dropped. It fell to its knees, the strings that wrapped around the two souls fading into red light. The red souls seemed to gladly speed over to the rest, joining the safety of them.

All of these souls were in my possession. All of them had resisted, all thanks to Asriel. I hadn't done this. Asriel was the reason everyone had been saved. _He_ was the one who pushed me the extra mile to get back up and fight.

*There is still one more soul…

There was only one that was no longer in my possession. It was strange, due to the fact that it was my soul that was the last one to be saved… The souls seemed to usher me on, cheering at our victory.

But… the Player still remained. Now, with only one soul, its power had been extremely reduced compared to the being with every single soul. The tables had turned, and the Player was slowly realizing it. With a cracked smile, the Player gave an eerie last line. " **Keep running from who we are… The consequences will catch up eventually… Maybe in years… maybe even tomorrow… You cannot hide from who you are!"**

Our eyes narrowed, the rainbow light dimming slightly. I took his words to heart, understanding them fully. He was right about one thing. I could never hide from this fate.

Wings sprouted from our back as we launched into the air. The souls joined us, shining with immense brilliance. Wisps of light collected at our palms, charging a rainbow ball of energy. "Goodbye, Player." With a ray of brilliance, Asriel and I put our all into the final hit. Light rained down upon the Player, vaporizing the darkness it held as it consumed him… The Player laughed one final time, as he faded into nothing.

My soul rested, hovering above the ground. The darkness that had once consumed it was gone, replaced by its vibrant colors once more.

It was finally over… All the fighting was finally done…

Shakily reaching out to the soul, I noticed just how whole it looked now. No longer was there any signs of anything wrong. There was no corruption, no shattering… only a soul. "Asriel?" I spoke to open air, knowing he could hear me. "It's time for you all to go back, now."

Now that we were no longer in battle, I could hear his voice more clearly. Asriel seemed to understand what I was talking about, nodding internally in agreement. "I'll take it from here…"

I felt the control slip from my body as he took over. The souls around us brightened in curiosity, seeing my whole composure change. Asriel's eyes scanned over the various souls, many familiar, and many unnamed. With a warm smile, he exclaimed, "It's time for you all to go back home, now." Some souls bobbed up and down in joy, while some dimmed lower in memory of the places they had to go back to. "Since this is my soul, and I… am the angel of the prophecy… I can use my power to send you all back."

Shutting his eyes, rainbow sparks emanated from our fingers on his will. Our body slowly rose into the air, as if gravity could no longer hold us to its bounds. The souls around us began spinning, grouping up with many others of their timelines. With a yell, Asriel stretched his arms outward, souls flying in different directions as he did so.

As the bubble-like groupings of souls merged back into their own separate timelines, we could feel the toll that it had dealt to us. The determination in our body vanished, returning our form back to normal as our souls separated to our own bodies.

White washed across our vision, blinding us from seeing anything that was happening. I felt as something was driven back into me, as something else left… Fatigue began taking over my body as I fell to the void floor, motionless.

* * *

A patch of golden flowers was all that rested before us. I could not distinctly draw the gap between when I had passed out, and when I had ended up here. But, one thing was for certain, Asriel was no longer in my mind.

Instead, the boy himself was still laying on the ground, sound asleep. Tilting my head to the side, I gazed at him, thoughts playing through my head. This child I was staring at had been through hell and back. Asriel had died for the sake of his best friend. He had endured being a soulless husk for countless timelines… And, when he finally got that soul he so desperately needed, everything spiralled downward.

Yet, he still had the strength to smile.

I didn't want to wake him. He just looked too peaceful to be disturbed. Sure, the timeline would reset any moment and bring us back, but it was quiet moments like these that really counted. Especially when you're like me, and you enjoy reflecting on everything.

This… had been an insane journey. Well, first of all, there was the whole blank of how I got here. I never could quite remember just how, but I don't think I want to remember just how it all happened. For the sake of my emotions, I'd push it aside. Even then, that didn't even amount to what we had been through. From fighting Omega Flowey to nearly eradicating everything… this had been far too stressful for anyone…

 _But it was still all my fault._

This had all been because of my actions. If I had never intruded on their timeline, everything would have been back to normal. Thinking about it now… why didn't I just save Asriel and leave?

 _But that's exactly what I did._

I **had** left in a fit of rage, and everyone had suffered from that as well. Because they were so caring, this had all happened. No matter who I threw the blame on, it all came down to one thing. I was the whole reason this world had gone to hell.

Whenever there was a problem, it was always my fault. Whenever things seemed right, it was I who screwed them up. As soon as I lied to myself that I could be happy with the rest of the monsters, I was quickly proven wrong…

I was snapped out of my thoughts, seeing that Asriel had begun waking up. The small monster yawned cutely, stretching his arms out in the process. It took every fiber of my being to not to squeal at just how adorable he was being. Controlling that impulse, I stood up from my position, ready to help him up if he needed to adjust to his body again.

Proving me wrong, he was able to stand up. Albeit, it was a bit wobbly, and I nearly rushed forward to keep him from tipping before he regained his balance. His eyes were looking around hazily, seemingly unfocused. Well, anyone would expect that from having your soul used by another entity…

But, as soon as his eyes landed on me, they opened wide with recognition. I gave a small wave, my voice deciding to go extremely quiet. "H-Hi… Asriel…" Not a moment after I said that, his furry being had crashed into me, nearly squeezing the life out of me. My face was growing purple… "Asriel! Air!"

While the tightness of the hug lessened, he refused to let go. "Sorry!" He half apologized, but I could tell he didn't really regret it. "I… I was just happy to see the real you again…"

We fell to silence, enjoying this moment as much as we could. Neither of us wanted to know what would happen if we let go. "We commonly find ourselves doing this, don't we?" I asked, tilting my head to the side a bit.

A muffled "Don't care." came out of his mouth.

This was who I was trying to protect. This was the one character who I tried to save, resetting over and over to do it. This was the small monster who I had the chance to know as a brother… Yet, the small but growing feeling still was inside of me. What would happen if I ruined their life… again?

I couldn't let that happen again. Maybe if I had just been able to quit, then they'd all be happy. But now, here I was, thinking I had a chance with them again. I couldn't watch them all fall because of me again… It had to be stopped… _And I thought I knew how._ Regretfully, I stated, "Well… we can't stay like this forever…"

"Oh… Right…" Asriel's voice seemed to waver when I said that. Had I been too obvious about my worries? Slowly, we let go of each other, feeling some sort of emptiness as we did so. I believe that in that moment… we had both felt the same feeling. It was one of an impending despair… It was painful. But, his expression quickly shifted to one of accomplishment. "Can you believe it?"

"Believe what?" _Please don't make this more painful than it has to be._

"What are you talking about?" Asriel cocked his head to the side, his ears flopping with it. Receiving no answer, he sighed, "It's all finally over… It's finally just… peaceful…"

I shrugged, trying to play it off. "Well, the timeline should be resetting to before it was damaged… which is when you all got to the surface…" My eyes averted, looking away. "Before you all met me…" Seeing the look on his face, I quickly tried to dodge the look. "But, don't worry. You should still have your soul… The timeline may actually behave differently now…"

But, the look of worry did not vanish. "But… what will happen to you?" _The inevitable question had come_. Shadows covered my eyes as I tried to look away. Asriel grew less confident, "You… you are going to make it… right?"

With a quiet sigh, I turned completely away from him. "Asriel, let me tell you something important…" I said, motionless. "Players are a… strange thing… One moment we are fine, and the next we want to kill everything in our path… It's such a risk for one to be thrown into a situation like this…"

"But… we destroyed that part of you… didn't we?" He was growing unsure of himself.

I gave a small chuckle, walking slowly towards the middle of the flowerbed. "He was right… in a sense. I can't run from what I've done… No matter how hard I try…"

Asriel's eyes widened as something whisked by his feet. On closer inspection, they were little golden wisps, all moving slowly towards the flowerbed. Trying to ignore them and focus on the subject, Asriel interjected, "We can bring you through this! It may be hard to let go of the past, but we won't leave you behind!"

"You don't understand!" I yelled back, coding appearing in front of my hand. "I can still cause havoc if one day, I just decide that I'm bored. I can't run that risk of putting you all in danger!" My hand swiped across the coding, four Royal Guardians, two mine, and two Asriel's appearing around me.

More wisps began channeling to the flowerbed. Asriel was growing uneasy. "Please, you don't have to pull yourself down because of your past mistakes."

"A mistake?" The Royal Guardians began shifting, pointing at an unseen point in the air. "What I did was far more than a mistake. What I did is an example of what could happen." Taking a breath, I paused, a feeling of dread washing across me. "There is still one more error in the timeline I need to correct, and it's me, Asriel!"

Nothing passed between the two of us as dead silence filled the air. Asriel was at a loss of words, trying to think of something to say to the final comment I had made.

I raised my hand, the orbs on the Royal Guardians shifting to a strange, deformed shape. "It's time these served their final purpose… protecting you…"

Everything seemed to slow down as Asriel finally realized what was happening. The wisps had now become numerous, covering the floor with intensity. "NO! PLEASE!" He cried out, sprinting towards my still form.

I turned around slowly, tears that I didn't know were there falling to the ground. "It's for the best, Asriel…" The light collected at my feet, ready for its purpose. "If death won't contain me, then maybe my own power will…"

Asriel was so close, leaping to try to tackle me out of the light's radius. His hands met something solid as the golden illumination shot upward from the flowerbed, nearly sending him backwards. No matter how hard he screamed for it to stop, or hit his fists on the pillar of light, it did not give in.

All he could see was a silhouette in the light, looking down upon him. "N-No matter what happens, I'll always be your brother… a-all right?" My voice trembled as I felt my presence weakening.

"I WON'T LEAVE YOU!" He yelled one final time, crashing his fist into the light. _It didn't do anything._

"P-Promise me…" The light began bringing me upward to the center of the Royal Guardians. "Promise me you'll enjoy your future for me, will you?" The Royal Guardians took aim, something ready to fire. Asriel tried throwing stars, flames, anything at them to stop what they were doing, but it was of no use…

Chains launched from the centers of the Royal Guardians, binding my wrists and ankles. The light began slowly dimming, as I tried to stay awake long enough to hear a response. But, as I felt my senses weakening, I couldn't help but smile.

They were finally _free._

The light ceased as quickly as it had come, revealing to Asriel a horrifying sight. The Royal Guardians had all turned to stone, red chains stretching from the centers. They led to a bound monster, frozen in time. A golden crystal had formed around my body, trapping it within. The chains had wrapped around my wrists and ankles, binding me into place.

Asriel finally began breaking down as he saw the last thing. For once, there was no stress on my face. There was no worry, nor fear… The boy fell to his knees, crying as he saw that I finally was at peace.

"I promise…"

As he said the words, a red delta rune appeared over the crystal, securing the sealing of me… Something was passed onto his soul, but he barely even felt in through the sorrow. White light swept across the void, as Asriel let it take him away. He did not care that the timeline was resetting. He couldn't care…

But, in a moment, not even he would remember meeting me at all…

Thank you for listening to me…

I just had to clear my thoughts one last time before losing consciousness… forever. Watch the end of this for me… will you?

 **AN: IT'S FINALLY DONE!**

 **WOOOOOOOOO  
THAT TOOK FOREVER AND I WANNA GO TO SLEEP!**

 **SO! I'd like to first of all thank all of you who viewed. The epilogue will have a more lengthy, thank you, as I need to goddamn sleep.**

 **You may all spot some references to other fics, AUs, or games themselves! Point as many out as you can! Not to mention, credit goes to the fics owners:**

 **Ben10Extreme, Wingah, XWolf26, OmegaFrisk, CamilaArt, and many more that I can't remember. (I did a ton... fite me...)**

 **I have one last question for you before I go...**

 **Did I make you cry?**


	58. Epilogue

Epilogue

The angel's fur ruffled in the wind as he fell farther and farther through time. He could feel all the memories he once had shattering as they drifted off into the void. The timeline was being reset, and not even he could withstand a reset of this magnitude.

Asriel didn't want to forget. If all of his memories disappeared, then Bennett would be lost to the void forever. He couldn't afford to let go of everything that happened. All those moments that would soon disappear meant so many things to him. There were the good, the bad, and the ones that taught him so many lessons he couldn't forget.

Now, he was going to lose it all. He was going to lose someone close to him. There was no way he could stop this. No matter how much he wished he could just stop the flow of time from moving backwards, it was truly impossible without the SAVE file. Asriel could nearly feel the end of the reset about to take place, when he'd lose it all…

Yet, as he forced his eyes open through the code reforming, his eye caught something. In front of him hovered something that could save this all. He had noticed, when he was shoved back into the timeline, that something had gone into him. However, he had not thought upon what it was.

It was a glowing star, the manifestation of determination itself.

His hand lunged out for it, his fingertips only feeling air as he missed. His yell was lost to the void as he reached out again, straining to just touch the file. In frustration, he kept clawing at the saving grace just out of his reach.

What was the name of the person he was trying to save?

Asriel found he couldn't recollect even that much. _He was forgetting everything._ What did the surface look like? What was the reason the timeline had reset?

All he could remember is needing to touch that save point.

He couldn't remember _why._

His vision began becoming blurry as time nearly had reached the end of its travel backwards. With one final lunge, he tried to grab the save point, and hold on to what he had left.

 _*The Save File has been transferred_

As if it the SAVE point knew what he wanted, he found that time had stopped entirely. It didn't move forward, nor backward, staying positioned at one time only. He tried in vain to so much as remember why he needed the save point, what had given him the save point, or how he was even here in the first place. _He'd forgotten everything._

Not even he had withstood the full effects of a reset.

No matter how much he strained his brain to recollect anything, he couldn't even feel that mere sense of deja vu that normally came after a reset. There was _nothing._ Asriel was beginning to see a piercing light grow throughout his vision. It was over, and he couldn't even recollect what his goal was in the first place.

As he slipped back into the natural flow of time, he held the SAVE point close to his chest, trying to stop the impending completion of the reset. It was far too late. He shut his eyes, feeling as he collided with something soft.

*File Reset

* * *

Sans was the first to wake up from the heap of monsters that were sprawled across the ground. Hm… they must have all been knocked unconscious when the weed absorbed their souls. He was nearly always the first one up, despite his sleeping skills. Maybe it was the excitement of getting to see the sun for a moment longer, or it was just the fact that he was used to recovering from circumstances like this.

This was supposed to be the last reset before everything finally stopped. Gaster had made sure of it… hadn't he…? When they left for the surface, Frisk had no choice but to give up resetting, or there would be hell to pay. Sure, they could just reset and wipe his memories, but he could always tell when a reset was thanks to his lab.

Of course, that wouldn't matter anymore. If Gaster had done what he was supposed to, then in due time, everything would work out. He could only hold onto that. Otherwise… he hadn't planned on what he would do next. The main goal was to get situated in the surface _alive,_ without any casualties. From the past timelines, they had either provoked the humans, terrified them on contact, or were considered a threat to humanity.

A terrible combination of those would mean the inevitable strike against monsters. It would be best to avoid that at all costs this time around. He had a few ideas, but most ended with them having to come into contact with the humans quickly… Ah well, he had time.

His eye light flickered over to a hint of movement from one of the other monsters. _Well, he'd have to revise that statement._ Of course, the one to come up next was always Toriel. As soon as she would see Frisk, all of the other monsters would wake up from her frenzy of panic. However, after the initial stir, something different occurred.

A loud and mangled gasp escaped from her mouth as she jolted upright. Her breathing picked up its pace as her eyes snapped open. Sans immediately leapt to action, trying to calm her down as she seemed to be under complete panic. Her eyes were looking around madly, as if she'd just witnessed pure terror.

"Tori?" He tried shaking her, trying to gain a hint of a reaction. _This wasn't supposed to be happening._ It almost looked like the boss monster was trying to hold onto anything to stabilize herself. "Tori, c'mon, don't do this to me right now…" He tried to get some form of eye contact, something for her to focus on to not panic.

It seemed to get through to her. Her breathing began slightly slowing down as her expression lost its strain, and began maintaining Toriel's normal demeanor. "Y-You must pardon me for the outburst, Sans…" While Toriel was now calming down slightly, it still didn't mean she was more shaky than usual. What had happened? "I just… feel like I've woken up from a never ending nightmare."

Did it have something to do with Asriel? The time as a lost soul always brought up their most negative traits when they were absorbed but, never before had Toriel reacted this way to it. It simply _couldn't_ have been the experience as a lost soul. None of them ever remembered the fight anyway, him included. Frisk was the one who had to tell him about the lost souls…

"Well, that's all it was, a nightmare." Sans hated being the one to be responsible in keeping her calm. Despite the fact that it wasn't real if it was _only_ a nightmare, she was not too easily letting go of the fear.

However, her initial scare was replaced when her eyes landed on Frisk. Her motherly instincts began showing immediately as she scooped up the child, calling their name. "Frisk!" _This, however, was the only thing they learned from the experience with Asriel._ "My child, this is all just a bad dream!"

Asgore was the next to wake up. He was far more composed than Toriel, but still showed the same sense of fear. His hand was clenched tightly as he too came to his senses. Undyne nearly jumped in the air as soon as the commotion rose. They were all panicked.

Alphys had to have been one of the worst, waking up and hugging her body as if she was reassuring herself it was there. Her ragged breathing didn't help, and she was forced to rock back and forth at whatever had just taken place. And then, there was Papyrus, almost coming up with no difficulties. He almost seemed… relieved to have woken up.

No one could lay a finger on it, but everyone had a sense of that same relief after a few moments. The ghostly feeling of a terror had vanished, and no one could understand why. Sans hadn't noticed anything that he felt… so he didn't know if he could qualify to judge that. However, he too felt as if something that had gone on for too long was finally coming to a close.

Maybe he hadn't noticed due to all the resets, but who knew?

All eyes, while sharing the same emotions as the others, had landed on Frisk. The child was finally waking up. "They're finally waking up!" Undyne pumped a fist in the air, although, Sans could see that it lacked some enthusiasm she normally carried.

"Here, let us give the child some room…" Toriel exclaimed, motioning for everyone to step back. Not daring to disobey Toriel, everyone followed her directions, moving back as Frisk began shifting.

The child didn't open their eyes fully, but it was enough to show the monsters that they had awoken. Unlike the monsters, they woke up rather peacefully. It was strange, seeing the contrast between the others and Frisk in their initial reactions. Although, Sans could connect the dots, seeing the possibility that they could both remember resets to an extent.

"My child! We were so worried!" Frisk found themself being caught up in Toriel's embrace, trying to escape.

However, their attempts were futile. Giving in, they returned the hug, their faint voice responding, "I-I'm fine…" In the back of their head was something they could not quite grasp onto. It was something they knew was important, but no matter how hard they tried, they couldn't recall what it was. "I just passed out, that's all…"

"I do not believe that is all." Asgore's deep voice cut in, the king adjusting the delta rune on his chest slightly. "We all saw what that flower tried to do to you. However, after that, I cannot say I remember much."

Sans's pupils shrunk in his skull. The dialogue had changed drastically. What was happening? It was best if he just got on the way. They needed to make haste. "Well, seems like everything turned out all right. The barrier broke, somehow, so that's a thing."

A fish seemed very pissed and shocked at the remark. The monster in question was Undyne, the warrior having a vein pulsing out of their forehead. "The barrier broke… AND YOU JUST NOW TELL US!?" Her eye twitched at the skeleton's antics.

"THAT'S MY BROTHER!" Papyrus seemed to be enjoying it. Huh, that was weird. Maybe Papyrus was just trying to mess with Undyne?

"Now, Undyne, let's not do anything rash." Toriel interjected before she could sprint off and do something stupid. "I do think that Frisk would like to do some things before we all leave, would you not, child?"

They quickly nodded, seeing the disappointed look on Undyne's face. "Don't worry, I won't take too long." Frisk promised. However, they seemed to want someone else with them, and Sans knew exactly who that was. After all, the two of them had all planned this timeline to take place for a few runs now. Hopefully, things would take a turn for the better.

"Yknow, I'm gonna give the kid some supervision. If that flower attacked once, you never know, it may do it again." He shrugged, knowing fully well that the motherly alarms in Toriel would be off the charts at the remark of her child being hurt.

Toriel put a fist on her chin, as if thinking about the horrors of what that could entitle. "While I trust Frisk, I do think that would be wise, Sans."

"H-Hey! Maybe I-I can upgrade your phone while we wait, Q-Queen Toriel!" Alphys stuttered, diverting the attention to her as Sans and Frisk found an opening to finally leave.

The group of monster continued their chatter as the duo left the room. As they walked through the throne room, Sans's eyelights flickered over to the human he once cared for, hated, and then tried his best to help. It had been a wild ride, hadn't it? "So, kid, shortcut?" He offered, extending a hand.

However, the human merely smiled, shaking their head. "No thank you. I'd like to take the scenic route." As the human looked up into the archway leading into the judgement hall, they grimaced, "No matter what happens, it will be our last time seeing this place, won't it?"

"S'pose you're right." He stated, his slippers flicking across the tiled floor as they both walked onward. So many bad memories were contained in the Judgement Hall. Different times for judging, fights, and those times when Sans was able to smile upon them in the beginnings, seeing their untainted soul going off to face Asgore.

The first time he met them in the Judgement Hall was something he'd never forget. From all he could recollect, that memory was the clearest out of them all. A human he had met, who had befriended all of the monsters without laying a finger on them, was about to be forced to make a terrible choice. Even when faced with that, Frisk won. They triumphed over the kill or be killed phrase.

They both stepped into the elevator, heading for the CORE. "Sans, I never really thanked you, did I?" Frisk suddenly questioned, keeping their eye contact to the skeleton limited. Sans, himself, was quite unsure of what they meant. "You've always been there to guide me, protect me, and make sure I didn't stray from the correct path. You put up with the terrible things… I did…" _Something seemed wrong about that phrase._ "And still, you decide to help me with Asriel? Why?"

The elevator stopped, opening its doors. Heat washed over the two as they stepped out into the hallway. "Coulda been for my own selfish reasons. Like I said before, I didn't care about ya at all when you went through the gate. Now?" He laughed, shutting his eye sockets. "It's just best that everyone gets their happy ending, and I really just want to stop it all…"

"Well then, I guess it all worked out for us…" Frisk idly commented. However, their small moment of understanding was changed to that of another feeling. They had not gone too far into the CORE before spotting something suspicious.

Someone stood in the middle of one of the many halls that made up the maze-like structure. Neither of them could figure out what it was at first glance. However, as Sans began walking closer and closer, it began becoming more clear.

It was impossible. It was as if he had witnessed a miracle himself. As a matter of fact, he just had. "G-Gaster?" Sans's pupils were gone, being replaced by an empty void.

The figure froze. Its leather shoes clicked against the solid flooring as it turned its structure to the skeleton. Frisk and Sans were caught in only shock as they saw who it was. While the two signature lines still ran up and down his face, it was the scientist nonetheless.

Gaster had come back.

"I… do not understand…" Gaster stood, with eyelights of his own staring at his hands. They still contained holes, a reminder of his experiment with his sons. However, his facial complexion looked more refined, and less deformed. Frisk had only seen Gaster once, which was in the void room before he disappeared. Sans, however, felt like he was seeing a ghost.

It was as if Gaster had never left them.

"Sans… I know you have many questions, but please, allow me to explain…" He thought Sans would at least have more of a reaction to his presence. However, the skeleton did nothing like that. Instead, Sans merely extended his hand, as if offering nothing more than a handshake. "What… what is the meaning of this?"

Sans's grin widened, patiently waiting. "C'mon, just a welcome back. The least I can do." While the skeleton showed nothing more than a handshake, inside, they both shared a mutual feeling of happiness in the presence of one another. The reason neither of them had made any rash moves was due to the respect they both carried towards each other.

However, Gaster could not deny Sans the one request. He extended his hand, it actually being connected to an arm now. Before, it had only been floating. Gaster was _whole_ again. "Thank you, Sans, but we cannot stay here forever."

"Wait, if you're here…" Frisk began, becoming to become skeptical of the skeleton's presence. "Did… did we do it?"

The idea seemed alien to Frisk. This whole time they had their doubts on whether or not they would succeed. However, now it was clear. If Gaster was here, then they had won. "Yes, child, we must find Asriel quickly."

That was all Frisk needed to hear. In a streak, they were already running through the CORE, forgetting that Sans could have easily just given them a shortcut. However, by the time Gaster and Sans called out to them, they were long gone, traversing through the place like it was nothing. No one would stop them from reaching the end. It was all about to come to a close.

* * *

A strangled gasp echoed through a cavern. The noise continued through the Ruins, dying off before it could go too far. Heavy breathing followed up shortly after, ever so slowly growing quieter, and less labored. The source was someone who felt as if the weight of the world had come crashing down upon his shoulders.

Asriel could not tell what the feeling within him was. It was almost as if he had felt something try to grasp at his soul, try to make him remember what he was forgetting. The ghost of a memory lingered, causing him more pain as it tortured him. He knew there was something of importance that had escaped his grasp.

Yet, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't remember the source of what caused all of this fear that laced his entire being. "G-Get a hold of yourself…" He muttered to himself, a broken laugh escaping his snout. With a swipe to his eyes, tears clung to his arm as a sniffle came out of his nose.

He knew why he was here now. The barrier had shattered, hadn't it? Ah, yes, it had, and he would soon be a flower again. That was how it always was. While it wasn't comforting, he tried to tell himself that Flowey was the reason he was so terrified. Yet, no matter how hard he tried, it seemed that the thought did not satisfy the fear that still ebbed away at him.

Would Frisk come before he turned back to Flowey? Nothing had changed, had it? The human's efforts were in vain. The timeline played out just the same as always. Yet, something still tugged at the edge of his mind, begging him to unearth the secret it held. Yet, try as he might, there was nothing he could do to elaborate on the small thought that resided in the corners of his memory.

It really was hopeless, wasn't it? He was so hopeless that he had to grasp at things that weren't real. That's how pathetic this was. _It was over._ That's all there was to it. He wouldn't get his second chance. He didn't _deserve his second chance._ Despite all of it, all Asriel could conclude now was that there was nothing left for him. This was the end of his journey.

Seeds blew into the air as he fell to the petals below him, hugging his own body for comfort. It would be the last time without legs and arms, wouldn't it? Oh how he grew to appreciate this moment which came often in the past few runs. Now, he was never going to experience the feeling of being a loving creature.

He was soulless, and that was all that would remain in the end. It would be a soulless husk, forever deceiving those around it.

His self deprecation came to an end as another alien noise came to his ears. It wasn't his own sobs making the noises, it was something else. Reluctantly, he lifted his gaze away from the cloth on his arm, seeing something across from him.

Was he going insane? This was all just his mind playing tricks on him in his last moment, wasn't it? Yet, no matter how many times he tried to erase the image before him, his attempts were futile. Someone was here with him. One stood before him, no differently affected than he was. They both locked eyes, staring at each other with some form of confusion, fear, and terror.

"C-Chara?"

"Asriel?"

It only took a moment of silence before the air around them was disturbed by both of them wrapping up the other in their arms, holding on tight as if the other would slip away. Neither knew whether the other was real, but now, it didn't matter. They were with each other for one last time.

"C-Chara?" Asriel could barely even speak as his voice caught on itself. His hands trembled as he wrenched himself to look at the human in the eyes. "How? How a-are you h-here?"

A small smile made its way onto their face, their eyes becoming soft as they looked at their lost brother. "If I knew I-I'd tell you…" Oh how they missed being able to feel. Asriel hadn't grown physically at all, but they could tell that he had been through enough. After all, it wasn't like they had forgotten anything about his time as Flowey.

Yet, it was as if he had not changed around them ever since the day they left him. How strange, that one would simply accept the horrible thing they tried to do. Then, as if it would help them, they tried to call out to…

No…

That didn't happen?

Why would they think that anyone was on their side when they fused with Asriel? Chara knew perfectly well that all of the humans there were startled, and none of them were remotely on their side. However, it didn't matter to them anymore. Asriel was here in their embrace, still the little brother they once knew.

"I can't remember anything that would have done this…" Chara couldn't even believe that this was real. It was as if this would be pulled out from under them at any moment. "I can only remember a splitting pain, and then I was here." This all led to so many questions. It shouldn't be possible that they have a soul in them…

Or, at least there was something in there… It would be impossible for their body to sustain itself for long without one, and even then, they didn't feel like they'd die anytime soon. "A-At least you got your happy ending, right?" Asriel's voice broke through their thoughts, the boy himself having tears brimming in his eyes.

Did Asriel think he was still doomed? Did their brother really believe such horrid things? Well, from Asriel's point of view, nothing had changed. Little did he know, another miracle was about to occur. "Azzy, what is this stuff you're spewing out? We're both free now!"

"Don't you get it, Chara?" He couldn't help but smile, unable to distinguish between his happiness for Chara and his pain for himself. "I still don't have a soul. It was never that way."

"Oh Asriel…" Chara merely tightened their embrace on him, trying to bring him any sort of comfort. "My sweet naive brother…" It was funny, really, how Chara felt the sadness from him, yet couldn't muster up any of their own. It was as if a knowing feeling washed over them, telling them that there was no reason to fear. "What happened to that determined monster I knew when I fell down here?"

"Chara, s-stop trying to make me feel better." He knew the truth, that all of this was futile. "I'm long gone. I-I can't come back."

"Are you really just going to let go of the possibility like that?" Chara would not give up. They knew that there had to be something to stop all of this. It could not have been a mere coincidence that this run, the one when things were supposed to come together, would let them come back. "Asriel, I want you to at least, for once, have a bit more faith in yourself."

"I c-"

Chara put a finger over his snout, silencing the boy. His expression contorted to one of shock as they continued on their own. "Be honest with me Asriel, do you want to see mom and dad again?"

"O-Of course I-I do…" A sniff came out of his nose as he dried his own tears, trying to form a coherent sentence. "Do I deserve t-them? After everything I-I've done?"

"ASRIEL!" Chara snapped, their red eyes almost piercing through the air, narrowing in distress. "Do you forget what we've done? Do you not understand all of the faults we have made in our time down here? Think about it! Do you truly think you were the only one at fault down here!?"

Their voice echoed down the hall, fading off into the distance as Asriel fell into silence. His tears stayed idle, bleeding into his fur. However, his eyes said it all. Chara's words seemed to have reached him. Something within him seemed to twist, almost as if accepting this faint feeling growing within Asriel.

The boy crumpled to the ground, down on his knees. His arms flew to his eyes, trying to cover them from view. "I-I want to come back! I don't want to be left alone!" Asriel felt something that he hadn't ever since Frisk fell. There was something growing inside of him as he reached out, trying to gain any foothold.

*File Saved

The loud beep made him stop moving entirely, almost frozen in fear entirely. Chara had not even known that this would happen, their eyes almost looking like they had grown twice in size from the shock. It was as if Asriel felt the weight of the world crash upon him, but also a freedom open itself up in the distance. Was this what it felt like… to finally feel peace?

"Asriel?" Chara, while being sure to keep him calm, knelt down to eye level with the boy. He seemed just as shocked as they were, neither of them being able to explain the strange events that were transpiring. "Do you know what this means?"

Hope sparked in Asriel's eyes, Chara being able to witness the return of happiness within him. A mutual understanding seemed to have passed between them as Chara had spoken, both of them knowing what this meant. What outside force had caused this, neither really knew. However, the one thing that the boss monster had known, is one thing.

"We're finally free."

* * *

"Re...remind me again w...hy we don't just use a shortcut?" Sans called after Frisk, struggling to keep up with the human. His athletic days had been over for a long time, this was not up his alley. It was a struggle just to keep up with this human, considering that teleporting/shortcutting was a terrible strain on his energy.

Why was Frisk still running?

It didn't even seem like they were winded in the slightest! Granted, they'd probably experienced much worse when trying to outrun Undyne. But seriously, they showed no signs of stopping. Gaster had gone on ahead to the barrier to sort out and explain things to the monsters before complications arose. That would be an interesting explanation for the scientist. May the monsters have mercy on his soul.

Yet, despite his question, the child kept running, not even bothering to look back. They skidded to a stop near the boatman, only to hop on right after. The boat did not wait for Sans as it sped across the water, a streak being left behind as it ran across the surface. The skeleton groaned, watching as it flew down the river. "Dammit kid…"

Frisk, however, was in no position to stop. They were already on the way to Snowdin, the boat speeding down the river. There was little time to actually think as the boat sped even faster, the River Person's cloak blowing in the wind. The barrier which contained the chill of Snowdin collided with their skin as they entered the cold zone. However, they would not be stopped by such weak forces.

The boat quickly jolted to a stop, Frisk not minding jumping and rolling off of it into the snow. They shook it out of their hair, only a bit of white powder remaining as they began their sprint again, taking a right as they got out into the open of Snowdin. It seemed that monsters had already found something of interest.

There was a large crowd encircling something. It seemed like excited chatter as Frisk drew closer. This was different. An anomaly had presented itself, almost shining in their head like a beacon of hope. If Asriel was alive, then who else would have caused this crowd?

Frisk darted into the seemingly impenetrable wall that made up the circle of monsters. Some bunny monsters were disturbed by their sudden shoving, but made no move to stop them. Grunting as they pushed their way through, they charged as fast as they could, monsters beginning to clear the way in fear of getting rammed in the stomach by a small human.

"-re looking for a human named Frisk!" That voice… it seemed so familiar. Yet, it wasn't Asriel's… "Get out of our way!" The same voice said once more as Frisk finally stumbled into the open, their eyes gazing upon the startling sight before them.

It was as if they were looking in a mirror. They stared at something thought long gone, something that they had only seen under certain circumstances. However, instead of the cynical grin that normally rested on their face, a soft grin had made its home there. Frisk didn't even recognize the human as Chara until they saw their red eyes, that one unnatural thing that they always had.

And next to the human was who they had been trying to save this whole time. It was he who was doomed without a soul. Though, the more Frisk saw the two standing together, they realized just how similar the two were. Too children who made stupid mistakes, manipulating those around them. In fact, Frisk knew what it felt like to be just as sinister in that way. After all, it wasn't like they were innocent.

Three diverse souls, all with different stories, turned out nearly the same. As they all set eyes on each other, they all felt something flutter within them. It was nothing more than hope, hope in a future, hope in a new life, and hope in each other.

"Frisk!" Asriel exclaimed, his eyes catching them as they revealed themself. Not wasting any time, he ran towards them. Frisk had no time to brace themself before the goat boy had wrapped them up in his arms, trying to hard not to cry tears of joy.

It was finally over.

Chara, being the more reserved of the two, simply stepped over to the two, not daring to interrupt the moment. However, Frisk had noticed them, Chara not knowing how to react. Would they be scared of them, after all they'd been through? Yet, Chara reached out a hand, simply for an act of understanding, "Greetings, Fr-AHH!"

Chara found themself unable to finish as their arm was grabbed, their body being lunged towards Frisk. The human had captured them, intending to pull them into a group hug. Unable to resist, they found themself wedged in between the two, small "aws" escaping from the crowd surrounding them. Chara's cheeks grew hotter in embarrassment, yet the other two were content with this.

It had been a long battle for them all, and it was finally coming to an end.

Sans, quite late to the party, had pushed his way through the wall of monsters, seeing the three together. However, as his eyes caught on Chara, he was unsure of why he didn't feel hostile feelings towards them. While he would have acted quickly against them, being that they had slaughtered them all in multiple runs, he just… didn't feel that anymore.

 _Souls wrenched into place, doing the being's bidding. A hooded monster had magic forced out of their soul, a sword spawning in the beast's hand. The sword flashed into the air, reality splitting through a human._

Sans's eyes reverted to pitch black, the thought fading just as it came. Why had he thought of something like that? He disregarded it, trying to force the image out of his head. Facing the three crouched down, he knelt himself, giving his normal lazy grin. "Well, I see you three are well acquainted."

Chara and Asriel both gave reactions of shock. They had their reasons, being that the skeleton had a reason to hate them. Asriel was the first to stand up, slightly shivering at Sans's gaze. "S-Sans… I-I don't want to hurt y-"

"Save it." The skeleton brushed it off, turning around with a relaxed expression. "You two are gonna need to save all the explanation for your parents. You and I can talk later." He didn't turn back, the crowd parting to let him through.

Asriel gulped, nodding hastily in response. His quick reaction was not due to the impending conversation with Sans, but from the fact that he would have to face his mother's smothering…

Frisk smiled, ushering for the two to follow Sans. "Come on!" An excitement for the life ahead filled them as Chara and Asriel began walking next to them. "Everyone's waiting!"

* * *

Silhouettes rested against the sunset, the sun's glare shining upon the humans and monsters. Asriel held his mother's paw, the latter keeping him close. The ghostly feeling of tears on her fur seemed to resonate with the sun, almost reassuring her that what had happened was real. Toriel took her eyes off of the view to look at her child who stood next to her, warmly smiling back.

Chara, not wanting to be smothered by their adoptive parents, simply chose to stand next to Frisk. Their hands rested, being held behind their back as they viewed the sign of victory, the light of the sun. It all seemed too good to be true. Yet, no matter how much they tried to make sense of how this all could have happened, they drew a blank whenever thinking upon it.

Now, it didn't even matter. They were all free, and the ideal ending had been reached. Glancing to the side, they caught sight of the human that they once were sharing a soul with. Frisk was the farthest to the side on the cliff, simply smiling, no longer showing any neutrality in their expression. The peace that everyone carried felt like it could last a lifetime.

Even Gaster, a literally broken man, found the sight to be simply gorgeous. Even after being able to see multiple suns in other timelines, he had never thought it would look like this in person. However, the man was the only one unsure about this ending. Unlike the others, he knew how they had all gotten here.

Despite this, it was unimportant now. Gaster didn't know how things had returned to their natural state, but it was not worth pondering upon for the time. By the looks of it, everyone's memory was wiped completely. How this had occurred was a mystery in the end. That was then, and this was now. The journey was over.

Finishing all of this just seemed like such a dream, that they had to repeat it over in their head to remind themselves that the struggle was finally over.

However, it wasn't a secret that the fight was far from over. There was a future ahead of them. Relations between humans and monsters would begin, and old issues would arise, without a doubt. They were ready to face what was up ahead. It was time for the story underground to come to an end.

"To think that this all happened because of a human falling down to us." Asgore chuckled, looking fondly at his children. "Frisk, I cannot express my gratitude to you in words. However, if you ever need anything, then we will be more than glad to assist you in any way you need."

"Thank you, Asgore…" Frisk merely grinned, staring at the lowering sun. "But… I don't think I want to go anywhere else. You all still need to work out things with the other humans, don't you?"

Chara snickered at their partner's response, "Quite enthusiastic still, are we?" Frisk took a glance in their directions, puffing out their cheeks in fake anger at the remark. "Regardless, I do agree with Frisk here. We cannot be hasty about this."

"Oh come on!" Undyne pumped her hand in the air with impatience, "I wanna meet all these new punks! And if they're anything like Frisk, we got nothing to worry about!"

Gaster's eye lights flickered over in the direction of the warrior, having caught his attention. He had the most experience with this. If anyone would take charge, it would have to be him. "We have a long way to go with the humans. We killed some of their children, and what we did will be inexcusable. At the time, we must simply offer peace to their families, if they are still living."

To Gaster's right, Sans nodded in agreement, "I gotta agree with G here. Telling the truth is the moral thing to do, but can we without humans taking action against us?" With a sigh, he continued on, "At one point, we'll have to. I'd say we wait until things have settled down though between us."

While most agreed on the idea, Toriel was one to resist the attempt. "And what? We would just act innocent? Act like one of us did not kill seven children?" Shutting her eyes, she spoke once more, "I understand it is for safety measures, but do we not deserve what would be coming our way after what we have done?"

"Mom, think of it this way!" Asriel cut in, looking up at his mother. "I don't think the humans would want to waste their materials on tensions, or a war… If we brought peace to the families, then maybe that would be enough for the safety of both races."

"I-I mean he does have a point!" Alphys wrung her hands together, uneasily speaking her part. In the face of Toriel, attempting to disagree could be a terrifying experience. Yet, she persevered on, "I-If humans didn't know a-about it, t-they wouldn't have to fear us and live their lives under that… m-mindset."

Bowing her head, Toriel nodded, understanding what she meant. "I can understand, however, like Gaster and Sans have suggested, we must tell what we have done to the families. They deserve to know."

"WELL THEN! IN ORDER TO HAVE GOOD RELATIONS WITH OUR NEW FRIENDS…" Papyrus had a glint in his eye, or lack of one. "A GREAT INTRODUCTION IS NECESSARY! FOLLOW THE GREAT PAPYRUS!" With a few of his signature chuckles, he pivoted his foot, running along the pathway leading down the mountain.

"Oh god, Paps…" Undyne put a hand over her face, shaking her head. With a grin on her face, she ran after him, her hair blowing behind her. "PAPS! WAIT UP YOU PUNK!"

Alphys began sweating, her head darting in between the stationary monsters and the two runners. With a quiet sorry, she ran off after them, trying to tell them to stop, "G-Guys please! Don't go too far!"

Sans and Gaster both stole glances at each other, the elder one announcing their departure. "Well, we will meet you all shortly. Sans and I have some catching up to do."

"Understood," Asgore gave a handshake to Gaster, the skeleton accepting it gladly. "It is nice to have you back, old friend."

"Thank you, my friend." Gaster let go of his hand, motioning to Sans. "Come on, let's go get some Grillby's real fast. I need to talk to that man… and you need to repay your tab."

"Eh, I'll do it another time…" Sans said with a smug look on his face as they both walked back into the underground. The smaller skeleton waved back, Frisk grinning and returning the gesture.

It was just Toriel, Asgore, and the three children now. The mother stole a glare at the king, Asgore noticing it and looking downward in shame. "Tori...el… I apologize for everything I've done to you and those children."

She simply scoffed, turning her head away. "Dreemurr, you know it s-"

"I know that it doesn't fix anything. You do not have to remind me…" Clenching his hand, he stared off into the sunlight which was about to disappear over the horizon. "I just… hope that one day I can amend for what I have done."

Silence fell in between them as Asgore turned, his cape blowing in the wind as he walked down the path wistfully. Toriel watched him go, not breathing one word. However, she seemed indifferent until she noticed her children's expressions. "I know… I am being harsh, aren't I?"

"He's trying to fix things. Granted, I know it will be hard to look past all of that, but at least give the guy a chance to be able to speak to you." Chara remarked, still with that stagnant posture.

Asriel, however, was thinking a bit more beyond that. "Will… will you and dad ever get back together?"

Toriel seemed to look fondly at her son, trying to fight past his worried expression. "My child, it may take a long time to get past what has been done… If I may, I need some time to consider it."

This was understandable, although, Asriel was a bit on the sad side about it. Still, not everything would be perfect. Damages had been done. Either way, he put on a smile, turning to Frisk. "So, Frisk, after all of this, what are you going to do next?"

The human didn't even have to think twice. With this, they were content. "After all of this, I want to stay with you all. I don't really have any other places to be."

"Then come, let us go meet the others." Toriel suggested, holding Asriel's hand as she went. However, noticing that Frisk and Chara did not follow, she looked behind. "Are you two coming?"

Chara looked down, "May I have a moment to speak with Frisk? We will be right down in a minute…" They requested, Toriel nodding as she stepped away. Asriel looked back once before his attention was jarred back to the road ahead. As they disappeared, Chara quickly turned back to Frisk, the human almost looking confused. "Frisk, do you feel the power to save anymore?"

"Why do you ask?" They questioned, tilting their head. "I can't anymore, but isn't that good?"

"There's a reason for that." They sighed in slight disdain, looking out as the sun disappeared over the horizon. "I don't know how it happened, but Asriel has the file. I don't think he'll misuse it now that he has a soul but…"

"I'm sure it will be fine…" Frisk tried to reassure Chara, but honestly, after the Flowey fiasco, that would be hard to believe. "Whatever caused all of this to fall into place, it gave the SAVE to him for a reason. We just have to trust that he won't do anything drastic."

Nodding in understanding, Chara finally unfolded their hands, turning in the direction the others went into. "I suppose it is time we get down to business." Frisk understood, following the human down the pathway.

Before they went, Frisk turned back to where the barrier once stood, a ghostly feeling being left behind. It almost felt like there was something being left behind in there. Turning away, they finally said goodbye to the place, following Chara.

* * *

A crystal shone in the empty void, pulsating with magic around it. Something within sat idle, unmoving. This thing that was chained, frozen by even time rested in its place. Royal Guardians which had once served a purpose to protect the Royal Family were nothing more than stone now.

A small patch of grass had sprouted under the crystal, no doubt just there as spare magic flowing from the crystal. It seemed that the magic was harmless, just slowly creating small little things. The magic it was using was that of the thing trapped inside, making sure magic did not overflow. It was a perfect security, impenetrable from the inside and the outside.

Perfect for containing a beast which should never be released again…

Memories were contained within this thing that was created, making sure to not let any remembrance of who it held escape. No one should know that this thing existed. Not. One. Soul.

Yet, as one living in the void for countless magnitudes, Gaster was not easily fooled, being able to enter the void through his door. His form did not deteriorate as he went in, searching for an answer to what had happened. He could feel the power coming from deep in the void, coursing through his veins.

He would eventually come upon it, not daring to touch the refined material in which the crystal was made of. Simply starting, he sat there emotionless, trying to comprehend what he was seeing. It was not that hard to draw together what had happened, but due to Asriel's recent… behavior, it was quite obvious now.

Being the only one who knew, he felt a need to offer this thing some final words. This being had caused hope, despair, and another wide range of emotions which could not be described. Gaster stared intently at the crystal, placing a hand on the stone Royal Guardians. "I built these to protect the Royal Family, and gave them to you so you could save one of them."

He took his hand off, turning away from the crystal. "I am glad to see them finally resting."

"I cannot tell whether you were trying to do good or bad in our lives."

"I cannot judge what your true intentions are."

"But in the end, there is only one thing I must say to you."

"Thank you,"

The slam of a door echoed across the void, finally leaving the sealed figure to be alone, which should never be seen again.

"- and may you rest quietly."

 **AN: Our adventure ends here, but a new one has just begun.**

 **8257 words? I thought it'd be longer, if I must be honest with you. However, I think this is enough to complete a story.**

 **I would like to thank all of those that have stuck with me thus far, and I would like to apologize for the wait. If you check the first seven chapters, you would see that they are revised, something I worked on for me to be content with this story.**

 **Now I know what you're thinking. "But what happened to them on the surface? Why didn't you cover that?"**

 _ **A sequel**_ _ **can't have a plot without there being some substance to work with.**_

 **A new story, Bound by Our Past will begin in the near future, right after a Storyshift One-shot I have decided to make for the AU poll. Bound by Our Past, as predicted by the end of this chapter, will not be OC centric, and will cover the lives after the True Pacifist Route after these events.**

 **But until then, it is time for us to say goodbye.**

 **And if I don't post after a crap load of time then Net Neutrality probably knocked me off the site.**

 **Either way, I wish you all luck in your future endeavors. I encourage to to join me for the sequel if you enjoyed. If you want to talk to me over a discord, or a roleplay server which I am in, please PM me and maybe we can work things out. I loved the experience with you all.**

 **Thank you.**

 **May you rest quietly.**


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